I have lived in Davis for 34 years and seldom let anything get to me. But, the devastation of the Northstar Nature Garden Trail was beyond my limit. It was a drought-tolerant demonstration garden that was established in the early 1990s. Last week, the area was turned into a maze of wide walkways, tree limbs cut off and plants removed along the one-third-mile nature trail.

The native trees had been planted along the trail to block the view of the soccer fields and houses. We really felt like we were out in the country. It was a quiet area. Not anymore.

I guess the Parks Department did not know that the trail was established by The Conservation Fund, Davis Adopt A Park Program and the Davis Parks Department, as well as many volunteers with the additional help of experts in drought-tolerant native plants, urban designs, etc. Our children worked on the project along with their grandfather.

There is a large sign when entering the “Davis Nature Trail” and wonderful brochure on the bulletin board next to the entrance, explaining what went into the process of the nature area. The trail was a narrow trail simulating a deer trail. In the elevated areas the path is slanted so that it would not stop the natural flow of rain seeping down to the native plants below. Now, all the new walkways block any natural flow of water.

Yesterday there were six kids using the former “Nature Trail” as a BMX track.

If the city has no money for park maintenance, why did they waste time destroying the Nature Trail? Last year they removed half of the garbage cans and now they no longer even empty the garbage cans on a regular basis?

Penny Anderson
Davis

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