Cemetery trees marked again for removal?

Story and photos by Steve Smalley

Orange spray-paint and numbered aluminum discs have once again appeared on trees in the Army?s military cemetery near Discovery Park ? the last time meaning the trees were marked for removal.
In June, the Magnolia Voice reported that the Army, caretaker of the cemetery, had marked 43 large trees whose roots were disturbing the graves and white grave markers. When the story broke, the tree removal had been postponed. Army spokesman, Joe Kubistek said the new orange markings were indeed put there by the Army because the trees were disturbing the markers and the roots were affecting the graves. He said the Army would make an announcement when/if tree cutting would happen and whether there would be public input.

Additionally, the Army Corps of Engineers has been surveying the area around the cemetery, stringing orange lines and spraying purple markings on some trees around the periphery of the cemetery. But nothing inside the cemetery was marked, according to Patricia Graesser an Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson.
The Army and the Corps both disavow responsibility for the numbered aluminum discs. There are reports the City of Seattle is responsible in its attempt to inventory trees in the area. Calls to the city were not immediately returned.