To the Journal editor:

Thank you to Shirley Moore for her recent letter explaining the tree-planting project she and her husband, Bob, initiated 40 years ago on Lakeshore Boulevard.

Because each was planted in honor of a family member or special friend, her frustration and sadness over the decision to clear-cut them is understandable.

While they did not hold the same significance for me, I definitely appreciated their glorious presence during my regular walks along the lake. Weeping willows are a personal favorite, and the one that occupied a prominent spot on that green wedge near the path was majestic and beautiful.

I would occasionally stop to sit or lie beneath it, gazing upward as the light filtered through its crown and the drooping branches swayed gracefully in the breeze.

Still, I was surprised by my emotional reaction the day I was shocked to see piles of severed trunks and limbs on the ground where healthy, mature trees once stood.

It crushed me to realize the weeping willow was gone, and I wondered why it wasn’t possible to circumvent the area rather than decimate it.

So Shirley, please know that others share your sadness at the empty space left behind. Thank you for enlightening us on the origin of the trees, and for your dedicated efforts to plant them.

They enhanced the aesthetic appeal of the lakeshore for many years and provided a therapeutic boost for those of us who paused to enjoy their shade.