This is outrageous

In July, the City Council first considered a contract with Greening of Detroit to plant 2,000 trees and reopen Meyers Nursery. The city would only pay for trees, mulch, and training. Volunteers would do all the work. Sounds great, right?

Well, the plan is on hold. The News reports that City Council never approved the contract because unionized city forestry workers won't be used to do the work. If the plan isn't approved by December, the tree planting will never take place.

Stories like this just baffle me. Who has the gall to oppose a community-based, volunteer-led project? It's not as if the city were outsourcing its work to independent contractors. Greening of Detroit will recruit volunteers, most of whom are city residents! No one will be paid. And the net effect will be thousands of additional trees that will need tending to by skilled city foresters!

I hope common sense prevails before it's too late.