SAVE THE ANGEL OAK ON JOHNS ISLAND, SC
- by: SAMANTHA SIEGEL
- recipient: CHARLESTON CITY COUNCIL
Charleston City Council has just approved a plan to put 600 homes and a shopping center on the property surrounding the Angel Oak, on Johns Island, SC.
This development will surround and imperil the Angel Oak. The developers also want to cut down or harm 55 other grand trees so they can squeeze in as many buildings as possible! The development will also ask to fill in about 4 acres of wetlands, an important habitat for countless species of animals.
Grand trees are supposed to be protected by law, but the developers are seeking a variance from the city's Board of Zoning Appeals so they can cut down these trees anyway.
Tell the City of Charleston WE SAY NO! The Angel Oak is one of the most beautiful and important parts of our island -- and our nation!
are writing today on behalf of a number of concerned South Carolina citzens, but also a number of citzens from around the country, and around the globe.
The approval of the "Angel Oak Village" plan to put up 600 family homes and a shopping center on the property surrounding the Angel Oak, on Johns Island, SC, is going to be devasting to the historic live oak.
No one knows the actual age of the tree, because the only way to determine the age of a live oak is to cut it open and count the rings. It is rumored to be over 1400 years old.
Whatever its actual age, the tree is colossal, and it is ancient. It stands proudly in an obscure wooded area on Johns Island. It stands sixty-five feet tall; with the longest limb extending eighty-nine feet long and the tree's canopy shading an area of 17,100 square feet.
Imagine the things this amazing live oak tree has lived to see. It is a truly remarkable natural wonder that inspires people daily.
When developing their new community so close to the Angel Oak, builders will have to cut down many trees in the wooded area surrounding the historic tree. In doing so, the Angel Oak will be left unprotected against natural elements it has not been exposed to. The tree will be extremely vulnerable and mostly likely die. I have consulted with numerous forestry experts and soil experts and would urge you to make sure a stringent enviromental case study was performed to verify this as well.
In a town that is so well known for preserving its past and protecting its natural beauty and charm, I find it incredibly surprising and tragic that the Charleston City Council would approve this project.
There has been an almost perfect balance between all of the elements of the forest, which is the only reason the Angel Oak has stood the test of time.
Please help me save this tree from destruction at the hands of men, when it has survived the fury of mother nature for so long. I am sure you are aware of the awe-inpiring power of this tree. Please do not let on of our last natural, historical features to be bulldozed for housing and shopping. There is plenty of land to build on, but only one Angel Oak.
Whether it is the drainage patterns, wind and sun exposure from cutting down similar trees, or the litter and graffitti that will not only come with the construction crews, but from residents of the new "Angel Oak Village" and shoppers alike, the Angel Oak will suffer and chances are, will die.
If this plan goes through, the city of Charleston will loose a lot of respect in the historical preservation and conservation department. It is our responisblity to preserve these landmarks for the next generation.
Thank you so much for your time in this matter.
-Samantha Siegel
Each of you has been instrumental in one of this community’s most historic efforts: saving the majestic Angel Oak. Your support to date – in the form of volunteer hours, letter writing, meeting attendance and donations – has been extraordinary.
The developer has now gone bankrupt and the bank has taken ownership of the land. We are working with the bank and a local non-profit, the Lowcountry Open Land Trust, who has taken on the challenge of raising $1.2 million to purchase 17 acres near the oak, preserving the rural landscape for generations to come and also protecting the tree and its complex ecosystem.
Once again, the public has stepped in to help. In just six weeks, nearly 9,000 supporters have sent checks, donated at the Piggly Wiggly checkout counters and given at nearly 20 Johns Island businesses that are helping collect funds.
And now it’s our turn to make a final, lasting difference in the life of the Angel Oak. Our community has the opportunity to bring the total number of donors to 10,000. Giving as little as $5 would make a real impact; and giving at all sends a strong signal. If 10,000 neighbors care enough to step up and preserve this tree’s future, there’s nothing we can’t do together.
If you would like to once again support the tree in a way that is lasting, please click here to donate. https://16213.thankyou4caring.org
You can also visit www.angeloakpreserve.com for more information on the preservation of the tree.
What better tribute would there be to this group’s work than to help reach the goal of $1.2 million raised and 10,000 supporters recruited?
Best,
Samantha Siegel
Co-founder, savetheangeloak.org
Each of you has been instrumental in one of this community’s most historic efforts: saving the majestic Angel Oak. Your support to date – in the form of volunteer hours, letter writing, meeting attendance and donations – has been extraordinary.
The developer has now gone bankrupt and the bank has taken ownership of the land. We are working with the bank and a local non-profit, the Lowcountry Open Land Trust, who has taken on the challenge of raising $1.2 million to purchase 17 acres near the oak, preserving the rural landscape for generations to come and also protecting the tree and its complex ecosystem.
Once again, the public has stepped in to help. In just six weeks, nearly 9,000 supporters have sent checks, donated at the Piggly Wiggly checkout counters and given at nearly 20 Johns Island businesses that are helping collect funds.
And now it’s our turn to make a final, lasting difference in the life of the Angel Oak. Our community has the opportunity to bring the total number of donors to 10,000. Giving as little as $5 would make a real impact; and giving at all sends a strong signal. If 10,000 neighbors care enough to step up and preserve this tree’s future, there’s nothing we can’t do together.
If you would like to once again support the tree in a way that is lasting, please click here to donate. https://16213.thankyou4caring.org
You can also visit www.angeloakpreserve.com for more information on the preservation of the tree.
What better tribute would there be to this group’s work than to help reach the goal of $1.2 million raised and 10,000 supporters recruited?
Best,
Samantha Siegel
Co-founder, savetheangeloak.org
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