NEW ORLEANS — An Uptown woman is refusing to let her family tree get cut down. On Friday morning, she grabbed water jugs and tied a lawn chair to the tree. The New Orleans Police Department said Lynda Bermuda, could potentially face charges if she doesn't come down, according to Nola.com.
Bermuda is trying to save a Chinese tallow that her father planted at her birth. She had been sitting in the tree since 6 a.m. and NOPD officers came at 11:45 a.m. to try to get her down.
The Department of Parks and Parkways planned to cut the tree and Bermuda is not letting it go. She said learned about the tree removal on Thursday. They told Bermuda the roots were badly damaged.
"We're, Indian, my father's Cherokee and it's got huge spiritual significance for me," Bermuda said. "It is connected to me. It's my spirit tree, [and] it's reflective of my well-being in an essence."
She said her father planted trees for each of his children, but her tree is the last one standing. Bermuda said her brothers' trees died after one was split in half and the other was diseased, our partners reported.
"I'm the person who called Park and Parkways because I wanted them to come out and tell the road crew to be more careful," Bermuda said. " I never in my wildest dreams thought they would say, 'Oh, well, this tree has to come down'."
According to Nola.com, Bermuda "could potentially face charges since it's on city grounds, the police said."
When asked about how long she would stay up in the Chinese tallow, Bermuda said she would come down if a reasonable agreement is made to conserve the tree.
"If they just are trying to appease me and then [say] 'Oh, well, we gave you two weeks' and then go ahead and do what they want anyway, I have no other choice," she said.
"The city and Parks and Parkways did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment and did not confirm whether the tree was slated for removal or why", Nola.com reported.
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