Who speaks for Sussex trees?

The Lorax spoke for the trees in a Dr. Seuss book by the same name published in 1971.

Every time I see a stand of forest cut down for development, I cringe. It’s not that I’m a tree hugger, I just understand the value of forests to the environment.

And more and more trees are being cut down in Sussex County as development soars.

At the site-plan review stage of a project, the county’s planning and zoning commission can require trees on a site to be preserved. Usually, the wording is “as many trees as possible” if certain acres are to be preserved. That’s too open-ended. Most parcels are clear-cut because it’s easier when preparing sites for construction. Two recent commercial projects along Route 9 west of Lewes are prime examples of clear-cut land.

Hopefully the new 2018 comprehensive land-use plan will have upgraded, clearly defined protections for trees.

A tree ordinance should require developers to either preserve acreage on a parcel or pay a dividend of some sort if they do cut down trees. That dividend could include donations to organizations such as the Sussex County Land Trust or Delaware Center for the Inland Bays or money paid into the county’s open space fund.

In 2014, there were 188,000 acres of forest in Sussex County, down from 223,000 acres in 2004, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. That’s a loss of 35,000 acres – or 3,500 acres per year – over that time period. We are fortunate to have that many forested acres, but we can’t sustain a loss that large for many more years.

We need a Lorax to speak for our trees in Sussex County.