Leaving us but not Gone! The Tree Lady

An open letter to Meg Niederhofer, Gainesville City Arborist
on the occasion of her retirement on August 31, 2010

Dear Meg:

Every single day, somebody in Gainesville looks at a tree, and appreciates its beauty or utility. But nobody fully realizes the amount of effort that one person – Gainesville's first City Arborist – has put into making our urban forest so strong, diverse, and beautiful.

Meg – you have been responsible for the planting of tens of thousands of trees in Gainesville, and for saving just as many through regulations, which many other communities have copied. You have educated thousands, through speaking to individual tree sponsors or large groups, and in your frequent news stories and editorial columns. You have mentored many entry level professionals who have gone on to other tree-related careers. You have collaborated on research projects that have changed urban forestry practices in Florida.

Many people don't know that for fifteen years, you wore a pager 24/7/365, and responded to falling trees at all hours in all kinds of weather. How many times were you called out from a movie, or a party, or bed, to go out in a thunderstorm? During the "Storm of the Century", you spent days on the clean-up, coming home only briefly. The same for two decades of hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornados. But, by overseeing the methodical removal of weak trees, and re-planting stronger species, and focusing on proper pruning for a healthier structure, the frequency and cost of these emergency call-outs has dropped dramatically. You are leaving the City with a much stronger forest.

How many know that you recommended our comprehensive plan be amended to require the planting of 1000 trees each year in parks and along streets, but that the City only fully funded the first year of expenses to buy trees? And that for more than a decade, you have met this goal by soliciting donations of trees from nurseries, by obtaining trees through mitigation and enforcement actions, and by growing trees in two City nurseries? And how many folks really appreciate how closely you worked with the City Beautification Board, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, the Matheson Historical Museum, Alachua Conservation Trust, the Florida Native Plant Society, the garden Clubs, and many other organizations in collaborative efforts for a greater urban forest.

Meg – you have gone toe-to-toe with many developers and builders over the decades, and have worked well with those who appreciate trees, and been the nemesis of those who don't. But the way that you have fairly dealt with the regulated community, and their landscape architects and engineers, has brought them along to the point that there are very few arguments about trees today, as compared to twenty years ago. The Tree Advisory Board and the Tree Appeals Board are no nonsense committees that you have staffed effectively for two decades – and soon, you may be serving on them.

I have listened as you described in great detail the ailments of specific trees – it's been said that you have a personal and individual relationship with ten thousand street and park trees. You have fought for trees, apologized to trees, and wept in their presence when they could not be saved. You presided over the first urban infestation of southern pine beetles, and saved homeowners millions of dollars by applying scientific principles to attacking the epidemic. And then you did it again a few years later.

You have authored numerous grants to pay for all kinds of tree projects – from science, to beautification, to removals. In many years, you have brought in more revenue to the City than your salary. You have all the certifications and accolades that your colleagues can bestow.

You have managed employees with leadership, generosity, and compassion, and manage resources as carefully as if they were your own. Sick days were seldom taken – you received perfect attendance recognitions for the majority of your years. While you were working hard, you lovingly supported two parents in their final years, including your mother who stayed with us for three years with advancing Alzheimer's. You have struggled quietly with your own health issues, your broken jaw requiring two bone transplants, and more recently with cancer.

As my wife, I have witnessed all these ups and downs, and lived through the victories, defeats, hilarity, stupidity, delight, and disappointment. Rush Limbaugh insulted you by name on the radio – a real badge of honor. You had to endure four years of being a politician's spouse, and participated in lots of other political campaigns. You've also had to be a musician's wife, a sailor's wife, and an eccentric's wife, all of which you've done with equanimity and grace.

Now, you are re-inventing yourself. For the first time in memory, you will not be the City Tree Lady, as you are most often called. I know you are challenged with what your new identity will be, and that you are leaving Gainesville for extended travels the day after your August 31st retirement to meditate on the future. You've insisted that a fuss not be made about your departure, and your friends have respected that.

By distributing this open letter and suggesting others pass it on, we are all in agreement that the best retirement gift we can give is our heartfelt appreciation for the legacy forest that you have saved, re-built, and strengthened, and that we will pledge to defend and enjoy.

On behalf of all of your tree-hugging friends and family,

Love and best wishes,

Hutch