Answer:
1) The writer's claim is that there's an issue with trees being taken down so that new buildings can be built in the lots there were once in.
2) "Our town, once characterized by beautiful greenery, is beginning to look like a wasteland--all for the sake of commerce."
Explanation:
1) The whole passage is the writer talking about the trees being taken down.
2) The evidence shows how the writer feels about the trees being taken down and how it's an issue.