Death Row Pardon!

Black Walnuts near Hampshire College main entrance

So it's hard to believe after all the trees the state has whacked for the Atkins Corner Project that these four beauties, otherwise known as black walnuts, were about to be sacrificed as well: "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot," or in this case a multi-use path more commonly referred to as a "bike path."

Yikes! The Amherst Shade Tree Committee would have impaled some town and state officials with the splintered remains.

But just in the nick of time Hampshire College rode their white horse to the rescue by granting the town a permanent easement on their property for a reconfiguration of the multi-use path, thus saving the four black walnuts. Three cheers for Hampshire College.

Now if we could just get them to contribute towards police and fire protection from the town, I would send my daughters there someday. (Well, maybe not.)

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring avoids the hot seat (for now)