Are Kansas City-Area municipalities doing enough to protect our trees?

How much do Kansas Citians love their trees?

So much so that neighbors have been known to mourn the loss of giants like “Frank,” the historic burr oak that had to come down earlier this year in the Historic Northeast.

However, some area residents — and elected officials — contend municipalities are not doing enough to protect trees from developers and even public infrastructure projects.

The requirements of tree-protection ordinances differ among area cities, with some critics contending that the one in Kansas City, Missouri, is too lax.

“Across the metro, there’s a lot of work to be done on tree preservation and mitigation,” said Overland Park Councilman Logan Heley. Heley is also the executive director of the Heartland Conservation Alliance.

He was among the panelists Kansas City PBS’ Nick Haines quizzed Tuesday evening at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library.

The event drew an audience of about 240 people to watch KCPBS’ latest documentary, The Politics of Trees, and listen to the panel discussion afterward. The documentary premieres on TV at 7 p.m. tonight, followed by a Week in Review Extra featuring the panel discussion.

Trees protect the environment in several ways, including taking in carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate change.

But they are also important for mental health.

Kansas City Councilwoman Melissa Robinson, one of the Tuesday panelists, remembered daydreaming under a tree near 33rd Street and Jackson Avenue when she was a kid. Nowadays, Robinson drives down The Paseo instead of Troost Avenue because of the tree canopy along Paseo.

“Trees mean a lot to everyone,” Robinson said.

See the trailer for The Politics of Trees below. You can also see accompanying video shorts here.

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