A Plea For The Tree

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Charles Joyce is going to make a last-ditch effort this evening to convince the New Hanover County Airport Authority to trim his old oak instead of cutting it down.

In a New Hanover Superior Court room attorneys for both sides agreed that the airport would temporarily refrain from cutting down the tree if the Joyce family would no longer interfere with tree removal.

Joyce's son has been perched in the estimated 150-year-old tree for the last week.

Joyce signed a deal with the airport giving it rights to airspace above his property. Family attorney Michael Davenport says the best shot now is for trimming the tree.

"Because of the fact that judge Gorham deemed this to be an enforceable contract at least for preliminary purposes, we don't have grounds to interfere with t heir execution with their rights under that contract."

Cutting crews will stay away from the tree until Monday.