Fallen Tree on Hicks Now Sawdust

It is so sad. The lovely Calory (sp?) Pear trees that bloom wonderfully, although briefly, in the spring are so vulnerable due to their rapid growth, shallow roots and fan shape. In recent years, many have lost major branches or the whole tree has toppled in the wind. Alas, because of this characteristic NYC will no longer approve them as street trees.

Was this a failed portion, or was the limb hit by a passing truck/bus? This particular tree has been hit several times in the last few years.

Cranberry Beret – We were in such a hurry that I had forgotten all about my intention to check the limb for fresh vehicular damage. Though I’m not positive, my inclination is to say that the leader was, in fact, struck by a vehicle, most likely a truck that was parallel parking to make a delivery or for whatever purpose. The other likelihood is that a truck, more specifically a semi-trailer box truck or flatbed with a load of some sort, was unable to make that hard right turn toward Old Fulton Street and had to back up the unit or combination and the resulting jackknifed trailer struck the leader that was weakly attacked to the main stem of the tree. Still, Bradford pears are notorious for the failure of large sections, both foreseen and unforeseen.

JOHN – What exactly did you report? 311 and direct service requests are almost always handled rapidly by all city agencies, so there is little possibility that your call was not fielded. The first priority for ANY municipal parks, forestry and public works department, or whomever bears the responsibility of maintaining trees within said municipality’s jurisdiction is safety. Promoting the safety of the public at large is achieved through hazard identification and mitigation, education and proactive maintenance whenever possible.

Leaning, large and tall trees are not necessarily hazardous. Moreover, the target area that may incur damage should any portion of a tree or an entire tree fail is what makes a tree “hazardous.” Consider a dead tree near a school or a park and the worst case scenario should that entire tree fail or suffer damage, and consider that same exact tree and damage scenario in the middle of a field in a protected reserve.

While aesthetics are certainly considered when maintaining tree, especially in a notable or popular location, the main goal is to reduce liability and increase public safety by removing the largest and most hazardous characteristics that any tree may possess: large dead limbs and leaders, hanging limbs, low limbs, limbs touching buildings or energized wires, limbs with poor branch attachments, etc. Quite often, the primary hazard is the entire tree itself due to its condition and location.

Personally, I can’t think of any municipal, county, state or federal urban forestry program or department that has the finances, the number of competent and qualified tree workers or the time to drive around looking for trees to prune or remove in order to keep busy, especially not during late spring and early summer. Tree condition and risk assessment is also growing exponentially in information and research studies offered, and it’s not a very simple concept to grasp and master. The assessment of a tree from a citizen can be, and oftentimes is, different from that from a qualified urban forester or arborist.

That principle is common almost everywhere, and not just in New York. I’ll be happy to provide reputable resources regarding urban forestry and arboriculture, and I can guarantee that many people will be astounded at how resilient and adaptive to the harsh urban climate that trees truly are.

This year has been the worst year-with this heatwve with no rain- old trees are dry and leaves are drooping from no water.
Onemilliontres -says to water our city trees. Wow- how much-when the city doesnt trim trees unless it is every 10 years. These trees are huge and old- ones that are young-are tender- brittle, more from the heat and drought. this is a serious worry. They say to print out an application- we can get a permit to cut the city trees. Than, who does the responsibily fall upon. There are people and standing vehicles -that can seriously get injured at any time- They write that the city is short on men. What does this have to do with these trees that their limbs are growing from one side of the street to the other- entangling with the falling wires-electric from some blocks, damaging street light bulbs,etc. Maybe more should email info@onemilliontrees