Roberto and his stupid new palm trees

Just having returned to the DR for a brief visit, couldn`t help but notice that Santo Domingo`s bonehead mayor has cut down all of the medium to large-sized shade trees along the median of Ave Lincoln and is now replacing them with a bunch of cheap-looking palm trees. I guess he thought there was just too darn much shade along Ave Lincoln, (or else he or his family own a vivero that just happens to sell palm trees, or relocate them from el campo).

Why does he want to turn Santo Domingo into a broken version of Miami Beach?

You left one out Stodgord - Roberto`s grandchildren can cut down the royal palms in 40 years and then cut them into boards to build new wood shacks (I mean houses) for those less-fortunate Dominicans, gaining their votes, and then replanting hardwood trees again in the streets of Santo Domingo.

I am sure the captain of the Titanic also had a plan , it just didn`t work out. Words straight out of the mouths of McCain and Kyl. How original.

If your argument is that Roberto has cut down all of the shade trees along Ave Lincoln to reduce crime at night, then please explain to me who it is that is out walking along Ave Lincoln at night who is in such danger? I seem to only see jevitos dragracing up and down, and their parents either going to, or coming from dinner out in their shiny jeepetas - no one is out walking, and there are enough lights to read the newspaper with, even in the shadows.

What`s next? Gazcue?

There are thousands upon thousands of neem trees ("nim" en espa?ol) which were planted all over the Republica in the 60`s and 70`s , and I`ll bet there aren`t three people here , other than maybe Hillbilly or AZB, who can tell you WHY they were planted.

Neem comes from India, another very poor country. The Peace Corps and other similar organizations, planted these neem trees to help the poor here. The neem in India is known as the "Pharmacy Tree", because it provides some of the deepest shade of any tree, tolerates years of drought without any additional water, its' twigs can be used as toothbrushes, and the twigs and leaves have several chemicals present that provide antibacterial activity in the mouth and gums, thereby helping poor people keep their teeth.

Chewing (but not swallowing - that might make one vomit) 10 neem leaves every morning will keep one`s mouth free from infections and gum disease. Indians have been using neem for 5,000 years. And it's FREE. THAT`s why it was brought here to the DR.

Drinking a tea made from its leaves is anti-parasital. Crushed and dampened leaves will treat skin diseases or infections. The bark has similar actions. Oil from its seeds will do many of the same treatments of the skin or for infections.

The leaves are also insecticidal, but do not kill the insects immediately, they instead inhibit the fertility of insects and in time, will wipe them out. Cattle will hover under neem trees for the deep shade and because the flies won't bother them there. The presence of a neem tree will persuade mosquitos to go somewhere else. A neem leaf in standing water will prevent the mosquitos from breeding there.

Yes, they have invasive roots. They do not make good street trees. They DO help reduce air pollution, so a better place for them was in parks and or private yards in a city setting. They will tolerate anything (too dry, too wet, bad soil, good soil, rocky soil, etc) except salty soil - too close to the ocean, or freezing temperatures.

My guess is that the Peace Corps explained all of this to a few dominicanos in the 60`s, who either didn`t listen very well (what's new?) or else didn`t bother to pass on the knowledge. You sure don`t see any neems around that are only 10 years old. San Pedro has several parks with many neems, as do other cities here.

They should be appreciated better, and not just let uneducated people like Roberto blast them as just "introduced, unwanted species". Maybe this should be a new project for the Peace Corps, if they are still active here - educating the next generation of poor dominicans about the good that can come from "trash trees" such as neem.

Palm trees do NOTHING. They do "zip" for air pollution, which is a major and growing problem in Santo Domingo. They generate trash in the form of falling fronds. And they enrich someone to plant them, and maintain them. Neems don?t need any attention, they just grow once planted. Maybe Roberto should pass out 10,000 or 20,000 neem seedlings to people to plant in their yards if he doesn`t want Santo Domingo to turn into Smoggo Domingo.

Forgive me if I seem sensitive to full-grown shade trees getting cut down to make way for expensive-looking palm trees that will help make our streets safer.

In the past year, a new building was started on one side of our building. In the first month, the Haitians climbed up and proceeded to cut down 5 fully grown trees, two mahoganies that were each about 18" to 24" across, and 3 others of similar size that looked like the typical Gazcue trees (similar to a basswood is my guess), and another calabash ( a type of gourd) tree just inside the front wall.

All (except the calabash tree) were next to the street, and not on the property, and the Haitians managed to turn a shady street into a sunny, hot, bare street in the space of about 4 days with their machetes.

Within a month of this happening, Leonel`s GOVERNMENT started renovating an existing large house on the other side of our building, turning it into yet another huacal. They too, cut down two full-grown mahogany trees next to the street, and several other full-grown trees just inside the front wall of the property.

Then, they sent THEIR Haitians up into the trees on OUR side of the dividing wall. That`s when the stupid Gringo went outside and raised hell until the Dominican in charge came out to see what the problem was. He finally pulled the Haitians down out of our trees, after I first asked to see his permits from Ambiental, and then asked him if he wanted a lawsuit.

The government then proceeded to replace the cut trees with stick-shaped palm trees. The other side plans to do the same. I love this neighborhood, and the new palm trees will only help add to the ambience.

OK, deal - I will wait and see the shade produced in another 40 years by these ugly. thin, palm trees that I am POSITIVE the property owners replaced for a total of no more than 2,000 pesos. EXPENSIVE palm trees.