22 Wednesday, August 30, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon TREE REMOVAL: Less aggressive approach through compromise Continued from page 20 deer/child interaction could lead to injuries. He also wanted a large number of the junipers removed to improve sight lines, as there have been reports of non-school-related people frequenting that area. Galecki and the UFB dis- agreed with the aggressive removal of the juniper and suggested possibly fencing the area to separate it from the playground. That would leave more screening mate- rial between the school prop- erty and the adjacent neigh- borhood as well as protect important wildlife habitat. Everyone agreed to the necessary removal of five large ponderosas located in the bus parking lot east of the elementary school. They have “co-dominant leads” (two tops) which give rise to splitting and subsequent bug infestation/disease and falling hazard. One of the trees is perilously leaning, causing stem pressure, heav- ing, and danger of falling on a school portable or the area where children play basketball. Several of the trees are directly adjacent to the fuel storage tanks and the pro- pane tank, creating the dan- ger of falling limbs, explo- sion, and fire hazard. That area is also the only place at the elementary school for storing snow that is removed from the parking lot and sidewalks. Following the tour, all parties met at City Hall and reached agreement on how to proceed. Rather than con- sidering each individual tree as situations arise, Galecki encouraged “general meth- ods and protocols” that will “guide decisions, taking into consideration esthetics, health and condition of the tree, proximity, and general safety.” Wildlife trees and thickets will be left when possible, depending on risk and liabil- ity. For now, Bear Mountain Fire will proceed with a light thinning, particularly at the middle school, and a reas- sessment will be made when it is completed. Factors affecting removal include: sidewalk heaving; diseased and damaged trees, crowding, and split tops. Vitelle indicated that cur- rent work will address safety hazards first and will be con- ducted on the weekends over the next several months, until completed. Does with fawns can be aggressive Sisters’ urban deer popu- lation provides some ador- able scenes — mothers with their fawns crossing the street in a crosswalk; a young buck lounging in the shade. But it’s best to keep in mind that deer — especially a doe with fawns — can be aggressive, and their sharp hooves can be deadly. Sisters resident Gabby Rodriquez learned this in a very sad fashion earlier this month. Her eight-year-old Chihuahua BabyGirl was in a small yard outside her apart- ment when a doe apparently attacked her. Rodriguez did not see the incident unfold, but she found her dog mortally injured with a doe standing nearby. “She was only three feet away from my sliding glass door, rolling around like she was having a seizure and was covered in blood when I found her,” Rodriguez said. She took the dog to an emergency veterinarian, but she had a skull fracture and a severe brain injury and was beyond help. Rodriguez said that she has seen the doe with fawns in nearby Clemens Park on a regular basis. Though BabyGirl was not interested in the fawns, the doe was protective of her young. Deer regularly wander through people’s yards in the city and Rodriguez is con- cerned that other incidents could occur. “It’s not fair for her to not be able to hang out right outside her home, causing no harm, without being killed by one of these over-popu- lated deer roaming around people’s yards and around the city,” she said. “I do think it’s important to let others be aware of these things so they can prevent this from hap- pening to their beloved pets. It could have been some- body’s child playing in their backyard.” Let us show you how much you can save this year! Call 541-588-6245, for a free quote! 257 S. Pine St., #101 www.farmersagent.com/jrybka Auto • Home • Life • Business Dr. Thomas R. Rheuben General, Cosmetic, Implant and Family Dentistry ~ Over 22 years Serving Sisters ~ We are preferred providers for Delta Dental PPO and Premier, MODA, Advantage, Pacifi c Source, Cigna and the V.A. 541-549-0109 | 304 W. Adams Ave. | “I was just going in for 10 minutes.” But then the check-out line was so long. Even with the windows partly down, the heat can rise from 80º outside to 102º inside the car in a short time.* Parked cars are deathtraps for dogs: On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Animals can sustain brain damage or even die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes.* FURRY FRIEND S 501 ( c )( 3 ) FOUNDATION www.furryfriendsfoundation.org t ’ n o d s d n e Fri friends in leave ked cars! par *www.peta.org Sisters