As a combination tribute to, and lament, for all the street trees we have known which will be disappearing and not replaced any time soon, and to increase awareness (if that is still needed!) of the hazardous trees out there, I have recently begun tweeting, in no particular order, one tree a day from the city’s list of dead and/or hazardous trees to be removed.
196 Linwood Ave, Nonantum, #NewtonMA – 24" Norway maple. Broken limb over sidewalk. #trees #goodbyeNewtontrees pic.twitter.com/pMRd1Oz2
— Julia Malakie (@JuliaMalakie) August 13, 2012
There are currently well over 400 that are tagged. It should be noted that not all dead trees are hazardous – some are very small, and some large trees have already lost all their limbs. But more importantly, not all hazardous trees are dead – they may have structural defects but plenty of canopy. And not all of either are on the removal list, which you could call the “known knowns.” Some trees get spotted by Marc Welch and his assistant, including on periodic city-wide ‘windshield’ surveys, but most get on the list by someone calling them in for inspection. Marc estimates that statistically, there could be 700-1,100 trees that would be added to the removal list if inspected. Call them the “known unknowns.”
The removal list should be up on the Urban Forestry page on the city website very soon; it’s just waiting on some web/IT work. I will post the link here when it’s available. If a tree is on the list, it should have a numbered metal tag on the street side (although it’s conceivable they could get stripped off by a passing truck or something). If you see a tree which is not tagged and you think it should be, it would be a good idea to use 311 on the city website to report it, or call Forestry at Parks & Rec (617-796-1500). Some untagged trees may already be on the separate pruning request list, but they could also have gotten worse since they were called in, and merit promotion (demotion?) to the removal list.
Sadly we’re saying goodbye to a tree of our own this week. We’d been advised to remove the dying Hemlock in our yard for years and the recent storms and near misses of fallen branches have finally convinced us that we have to say goodbye.
However, we do hope to replace it with something … we just haven’t figured out what and in the meantime we do seem to have a lot of wild Maples and Elms happily popping up in our yard of their own accord.
The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid can be successfully treated (DIY) with Imadacloprid, if caught in time, though the chemical may have negative impacts on the environment as well. It’s a trade-off. I was able to stop treatment after a couple of years. So far, so good.
We also have been having a massive removal of Norway Maples this week. While I understand why they have to be removed (invasive, choke out native trees, also a hazard to the house, power lines, and Chestnut st) the area is looking bare.
I’m already starting to plan a new set of plantings and look forward to years of watching them grow.
what is frustrating to me is that we don’t as a community have a plan to tend to our community trees. We are basically just performing triage (tree-oge? 😉 ) and managing the ones that need to be taken down. For a city that touts itself as the Garden City, I find that just sad.
fignewtonville — It doesn’t look like we’re managing anything. The issues with tree care and management can be seen (1) in the storm incidents of recent years, and (2) with the MA supreme court case involving Newton and a man badly hurt by a falling branch. In the first instance the City blames Nstar for being slow in fixing issues caused by the City’s own trees. And in the 2nd instance, Newton uses a concept of non-liability and contracts to remove itself from responsibilities. (The court matter involved a tree not directly on City property but the same scenario could have played if it were) Newton needs a viable plan for management — or just give up by removing and not replacing.
It’s interesting that if you read Newton history, the first Mayor after being Incorporated owned a nursery (Hynes, I think). If he influenced tree lined roads (paths at the time), there’s considerable history to consider. (I think I have the facts right — I think he was Mayor at Civil War era)
Speaking of near misses, a woman in Tewksbury just had a close call with a massive tree limb falling from her yard tree. I didn’t see it, but it looked from the picture that it might have had some rot which would have been detectible with an inspection. What struck me was she said there had been a cracking sound all day and she couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. From what I’ve read recently in the NY Times series on hazardous trees, the warning is usually only seconds, like eight seconds.
Greer, if you have the room and want a tree that will get big, I would consider a tuliptree. They can’t be street trees because the trunks get too wide, but they have a pretty easy to maintain branching structure. I am rather partial to trees on the ALB Replanting List, which has a lot of good choices including oaks, tuliptrees, & sweetgums, since I’m pessimistic about the federal government’s financial ability to keep eradicating all infestations (although I suspect that people like Gov. Kasich in Ohio, where ALB was found last year, have a newfound appreciation for the federal governmnent).
Hoss, sorry, I was busy figuring out how to get three hyperlinks in one comment without typos. Using contractors for tree work never had anything to do with trying to shift liability. It was strictly financial, cutting employees which seemed like a way to save money. They cut the forestry budget 20-something years ago and contracted the work out and then didn’t raise the budget even to cover inflation. Now because of new prevailing wage rules for contract work, and because the consequences of the insufficient maintenance budget have become apparent, there are now three tree workers in the FY13 budget. They haven’t been hired yet, because so far the level of pay negotiated with the union has not been sufficient to attract enough qualified applicants. But the good news is that Marc has found used equipment (bucket truck, chipper, etc.), which the city is buying with Tree Preservation Ordinance funds from the Chestnut Hill Square development, and it’s ready for the city to take delivery as soon as there are people to operate it. Once that happens the situation will improve, although there will be a backlog of removal and pruning work for a long time.
My husband and I were just reminiscing this morning about the upcoming one year anniversary of Hurricane Irene. We lost a large old maple from the city tree belt. Fortunately, it landed on our beautiful ornamental pear tree before hitting our house. The damage to our roof was minimal thanks to the “selflessness” of our poor pear tree, which was basically split in two! So sad. We finally fininshed the new landscaping this spring, with new trees and bushes; the city replaced our sidewalk last fall (the root system of the maple had pulled it all up) but we have been told not to expect another tree to be planted on the grassy belt (bern?).
We have lived in Newton for 14 years. Two city trees (from the bern) have crashed onto our property during storms (one into an empty driveway and one onto our privately owned tree). Neither were replaced.
Now there is another tree ready to fall. Back in 2007/2008 I called to have the tree looked at and it was determined that it will be trimmed. . . but there is a 7 year wait. So, either that tree is going to fall on my house or the house across the street during a storm, or I have a few more years to wait to be on the top of the list. I don’t want to spend my money on a city tree. I wouldn’t wait 7 years to take care of something on my property, however the city isn’t being a nice neighbor by making residents wait it out. . . . or hope that nothing happens during that time.
Hi Julia — What I meant with respect to the legal matter is that the city said their liability had to do with the engagement of a contract. I believe Newton’s lawyer said that the person paid Newton not to play on their ball field, but as a general payment. The defense didn’t seem to have to do with public safety around trees, and municipal responsibility.
I do remember the NYT article. In addition to the specific deaths mentioned, there was also a death of a child at a NY zoo a few years ago. As the little girl posed for a picture a branch fell on her and killed her.
I planted my own street trees after talking to the city. They gave suggestions and I planted three new street trees. They also came out a lot faster to remove a dead one once I sent a formal notice to them identifing it as a hazard.
Newton had the Kenrick Nursery over 100 years ago. This was in the area where the Newton Golf Course now is (http://apps.newtonma.gov/jackson/durant-kenrick/landscape-history.asp). Some really interesting things used to go on in our city 😉 …and still do!
Another bit of history: Leo Levi, founder of the Newton Pride Beautification Committee in 1989, headed a successful effort to plant 2,000 trees for the millenium.
It makes a lot of sense to do what fignewtonville did. If you want a tree, just check with Marc Welch about what species would work for that location (e.g. under utility wires, size of berm), call DigSafe, and buy a tree. You can get a contractor to do it for more money, or get a tree in a container and do it yourself for under $100. I’ve had good luck with container trees that were 8ft tall when I got them. Look for good branch structure and a tree that hasn’t been its container so long that the roots have started circling. Don’t plant too deep, mulch wide not deep, water deeply once a week, and keep the mulched area free of weeds.
In the time you’d likely be waiting for a city tree (years), the tree you plant will probably have grown to be bigger than the bare-root trees we’ve been doing for Newton Tree Conservancy plantings are when they go in (typically 1-1/4″-1-1/2″ caliper. And planting smaller trees from containers (or grow bags), or bare-root trees (which are only available wholesale, not retail), as opposed to balled-and-burlap, means the tree has much more of its roots and will establish and grow quicker.
fignewtonville, what did you end up planting and how are they doing? I would love to see them sometime.
Julia — A homeowner (or commercial developer…) can plant a tree on the berm? I find that one rather problematic. Is this part of the issue — inappropriate planting on berms?
Hoss, absolutely the homeowner or developer can plant. They just need to get Marc to okay the species (to avoid the past problem of inappropriate planting of large-maturing species under wires), and the planting spot (to make sure it’s an adequate distance from intersections, storm drains, etc.)
Off-berm, just inside the sidewalk, is better for the tree — more root space and less road salt. But a lot of people don’t want to do that, perhaps because they don’t want to ‘own’ the tree. When Winchester St. residents were offered the off-berm option a few years ago, when trees were paid for in the road reconstruction, not one person took the city up on it.
Personally, I’m partial to trees on the berm because I want as much asphalt shaded as possible so summer nights will be cooler. Without tree canopy to absorb the sunlight during the day, it’s getting absorbed by the asphalt, which then gives off heat at night. I have a feeling future summers are only going to get hotter, at least in my lifetime.