A Note From the Director About Trees at Fermilab
The Big Woods ... a priceless heritage on Fermilab's site
March 31, 1976
It has come to my attention by an anonymous poem that a tulip tree was cut down at one of the farm areas to make place for an ugly transformer. I am personally humiliated that this needless destruction occurred at Fermilab - and not a little angry.
We have gone to great lengths, and considerable expense, to work out technical problems so as to preserve the trees at this site. Our trees are magnificent and are among the few beautiful characteristics indigenous to our site. The Accelerator and the Laboratory building were located at the edge of the remnant of the "Grand Bois" that the previous owners had not cut down to make corn fields. We even moved the position of the ring from a "best" place originally recommended by borings, etc., to a position a few hundred feet to the north so as not to destroy the very lovely grove at the old "Girl Scout" farm. You will notice how the Main Ring road near the RF building departs from its geometrical form in order to dodge around several fine trees there. The crazily curving main entry and exit road was staked out by me personally so as to miss those noble oak trees that would have had to be destroyed by a straight road.
What I am trying to say is that we do care. I do not want any tree to be cut down, and expect to be harsh if one is demolished. There may still be cases where it becomes necessary, but I expect then personally to authorize any such exception.
s/ R. R. Wilson