Klaus Park users raise concerns over timber-cutting plan

Some 300 trees could be harvested in Klaus Park under a plan being considered by Cape Girardeau County officials.

The plan has drawn criticism from runners, walkers and mountain-bike riders who use the park trail. More than 30 of them met with county park superintendent Bryan Sander and Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy at the park Wednesday to discuss the issue.

They stood near a picnic shelter in sight of some of the trees that could be cut down.

The Missouri Department of Conservation recently marked the trees with orange paint as part of a tree assessment requested by county officials.

The total number of marked trees was disclosed publicly for the first time at the meeting.

Tracy said the county commission has made no decision regarding the harvesting of trees or how many trees would be cut down if any logging work is done.

But park users voiced concern harvesting a large number of trees would damage the trail and result in stumps littering the landscape.

Many of the concerned county residents said they don’t want the mature trees removed.

Missy Bradshaw, who regularly walks at the wooded site, said she and others like the “tree park.”

Bryan Sander, Cape Girardeau County park superintendent, speaks to a gathering Wednesday at Klaus Park. FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com

Jeff Smith, who rides mountain bikes on the park trail and helped create the trail, said he and others “love this park.”

Cutting down the trees will destroy the park’s natural beauty, Smith told county officials.

“This place is going to look like crap,” he said.

Bob Berck rides his mountain bike in the 36-acre, forested park.

The site is west of Interstate 55 and south of Jackson Boulevard, just inside the Jackson city limits.

Berck said harvesting timber would “ruin” the park for those who currently use it.

Sander told the crowd, “We don’t want to impact your trails.”

But he added a logging operation could damage the trail physically in the short run.

The park is full of oak, hickory, ash and maple trees, according to state conservation officials. Sander said the park has about 85 ash trees.

Sander and Tracy said the ash trees need to be removed before they are infested by the emerald ash borer.

The larvae of the tiny insect feed on the inner bark of ash trees, eventually killing them.

“There are a lot of maple trees we need to take out,” Sander added.

Tracy estimated harvesting the marked timber could generate $50,000 to $100,000 in revenue to help maintain and improve the county’s three parks, including Klaus Park, Tracy said.

Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy speaks Wednesday at Klaus Park. Behind him are John Dodd, left, and Bryan Sander.FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com

But many of the people who turned out for the meeting complained the county has done little maintenance at Klaus Park.

Sander acknowledged his department spends little time in the park.

The department focuses more on maintaining Cape Girardeau County Park North and County Park South, which draw far more users for picnics and other activities, he said.

The county park department operates on a $300,000 annual budget, Sander said. Its funding comes from general revenue, which includes park shelter fees. The county has no park tax.

Few people book the shelters at Klaus Park, which has no playground equipment.

Klaus Park users at the meeting said the park doesn’t need playground equiment.

A small group listens to Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy as he speaks Wednesday at Klaus Park. FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com

Sander and Tracy apologized for not informing Klaus Park users about the possible timber harvest before the trees were marked.

“I didn’t mean to leave you out of the loop,” Sander told the crowd.

Tracy said he understood many Klaus Park users “are alarmed” by the tree-cutting proposal.

After the more than hourlong meeting, Sander said the county park board will review a report from the Conservation Department regarding the timber that could be harvested.

A final decision rests with the county commission, he said. No timetable has been offered as to when the commission will act.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

Klaus Park, Cape Girardeau County, Mo.