Learning to Let Go: Removing Trees

Trees are a beautiful addition to any landscape. They provide shelter, shade on those bright days, and for many animals they provide a home. While trees are the givers of fresh air, sometimes they need to say good-bye. Sometimes the trees can grow out of control and become a hazard; professional tree trimming is key for this. No matter how much attention you give them or how much you try to reign them in, they are in fact a force of nature. Trees pretty much do whatever they want. So even if you don't want to, you may need to consider removing them for the safety of everyone else:

Four massive ficus trees in downtown Encinitas will be removed within the coming weeks, despite a neighborhood push to save the towering plants.

Public Works Director Glenn Pruim delivered that news during an emotion-packed community meeting Tuesday, saying the purpose of the gathering was to collect input on how to replace the trees — not to revisit the city’s decision to yank them.

Dozens of people said the targeted trees — two in the 600 block of Second Street and two in front of rental housing at 1011 Third Street — are an integral part of the neighborhood’s character and help soften the effects of noise from downtown bars and restaurants.

"We have been under siege for years ... (removing the trees) is going to make it worse," said Third Street resident Joe McNelley.

The trees must come down because they're a safety hazard, Pruim said. He showed the crowd photographs of weakened spots on the trees, and of areas where nearby pavement was being pushed up by roots.

The City Council voted last month to go ahead with the removal work after facing threats of litigation from neighboring property owners and obtaining an arborist's assessment that the four ficus pose a moderate to high safety risk.

On Tuesday, Pruim floated ideas on how the city might replace the trees, as well as any other of the 50 ficus spread throughout downtown that might one day need to be removed.

Via: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sdut-ficus-tree-decision-encinitas-2016sep07-story.html

While it is definitely sad to see historic pieces of the neighborhood disappear it won't help anyone if an accident is caused by a rogue tree. Proper trimming and maintenance can help the trees on your property live healthy and grow strong. While there may be little that can be done below ground to steer a tree in the right direction, there are still some areas above ground that can be explored to ensure everyone enjoys the outcome.

The following blog post Learning to Let Go: Removing Trees was originally seen on allcleartree.com

source http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming/learning-let-go-removing-trees

Inspiration From Our Childhood: Dreams in a Tree

You mention the name Dr. Seuss and it's basically guaranteed that people will know who you're talking about. It's hard to find someone who did not grow up with How The Grinch Stole Christmas or even The Cat in the Hat. After being made into a successful move, The Lorax has gained fame with a younger, fresher, generation. Would you be surprised to know that the inspiration for that story still stands, right here in San Diego?

In 1937, a long line of publishers rejected a children's book that would later become a classic. Penned by Theodore Geisel, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street immortalized a street in the author's hometown, Springfield, Massachusetts. The book was eventually picked up by a publisher, the first in a long line of classics penned by Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss.

His first book may have Massachusetts roots, but after World War II Geisel made his way to San Diego, California and moved into an observation tower in ritzy La Jolla. His newly adopted hometown became part of literary history, too. In this home and his studio on Mt. Soledad, Seuss wrote more than 40 children’s books—including the immortal The Cat in the Hat. And though he died in 1991, his legacy still looms large in both San Diego and the history of literature for kids.

“Seuss is the best selling and most influential children’s author in the United States,” Dr. Philip Nel, director of the children’s literature program at Kansas State University, tells Smithsonian.com. “He teaches children not only how to read but why and how to think. He wants children to take an interest in their world and make a better world.”

[...]

In Scripps Park, near where Dr. Seuss lived in La Jolla, a lone Lorax tree stands in the sun. OK, so Lorax trees aren’t really real, but this one is locally thought to be the inspiration for Geisel's classic conservation story. Instead belonging to the invented Truffula species, the tree is a rare Monterey Cyprus Cypress native to the California coast. Seuss could see this exact tree from the observation tower he lived in. And while there may be no plaque or official designation, ask anyone in town where the Lorax tree is, and they’ll point you here.

Via: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/visit-seussical-san-diego-180959997/#TM2C54LWY0skt2eY.99

Being able to go up and touch the inspiration for such a legendary story is like a dream-come-true for children. Certainly this is a classic book and the fact that it's a tree that is not likely to be removed professionally (http://www.allcleartree.com/removal) anytime soon makes me wonder: is it in need of a good trim? If so, All Clear could certainly help to ensure that this particularly famous tree is as strong and well balanced as any arborist-treated tree.

If you have time and want something to do, why not read to your kids and take them to see the Lorax tree?

Inspiration From Our Childhood: Dreams in a Tree Read more on: AllClearTree.com

source http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming/inspiration-childhood-dreams-tree

For the Love of Trees

Many people have a tradition of planting a tree in their yard when someone is born. There are other life events that people will plant trees for; such as a marriage or a death of a loved one. A tree is supposed to be an 'eternal' remembrance of a person or event. People can get really attached to their trees, but sometimes the trees aren't growing in an optimal way. Maybe they're too big, bulky, or their roots are getting into things they shouldn't. Sometimes the city will want to have a tree removed. When that happens, you need to make your voice heard:

A 91-year-old Allied Gardens woman has won a reprieve in her efforts to save a tree that is a beloved reminder of her late husband.

Marie Ostwald told 10News that she was willing to stand in front of the tree that she and her husband planted nearly 60 years ago until Mayor Kevin Faulconer steps in.

On Sunday, Ostwald took to Facebook to ask other moms to help her.

"I just wanted a tree there, and it survived this long and I don't know why they want to yank it up," she said of the tree on Mission Gorge Road.

Faulconer posted the following message to Ostwald on community website Nextdoor on Monday morning:

Marie Ostwald, a 91-year-old Allied Gardens resident asked the city to help her save a tree she and her late husband planted nearly 60 years ago. The roots from the tree were cracking the adjacent sidewalk and some of its root system had to be removed in order to make repairs. However, the City is pausing plans to remove the tree in its entirety. Staff will ask a second arborist to review the tree's stability to determine if there is any risk of the tree falling.

Mrs. Ostwald, I want you to know that we heard you. Happy Mother's Day.
Ostwald watched the tree grow right alongside her family, but the tree has grown too big and has caused several problems.

Via: http://www.10news.com/news/woman-calls-on-san-diego-moms-to-help-her-save-tree-050916

In this case, the tree is safe, for the moment. It's important if you have trees like this on your property that you take care of them. Tree health is important. This means regular trimming, watering and testing to make sure the tree isn't carrying a disease or that the roots haven't wound their way into your pipes. The larger a tree grows the more hazardous it can be for the average person to attempt to trim the branches. That's where we come in. Our trimming service has professionals who care about trees and want them looking good and being safe: http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming.

For the Love of Trees is courtesy of The All Clear Tree Service Blog

source http://www.allcleartree.com/removal/for-the-love-of-trees

Is There an Arborculturist In The House?

Trees surround us in everything we do, everyday. Even if you don't realize it, our lives are intertwined with trees. They purify our air, they provide food for us and they provide us with lumber to build our amazing buildings. They are even a part of the paper that we use every day. While there are some places on the planet where trees are becoming scarce, there are many places where trees line the streets and are hard to get away from. So while trees are an important part of our lives, what happens when they get sick?

Is That Contagious?

There are a few diseases that are well known to people such as Dutch Elm Disease which can eradicate entire forests if left unchecked. What happens, though, when no one knows what the disease is?

ESCONDIDO CREEK WATERSHED- A mysterious disease is damaging willow trees along the Escondido Creek Watershed. Volunteers with the Escondido Creek Conservancy are scrambling to find out what’s wrong.

A woman on horseback in the Elfin forest first spotting two diseased willow trees back in June. Those two trees appeared to be dead just two weeks later. A month after that, the disease had already spread to hundreds of others willow trees. The Conservancy  feared the damage was caused by the Shot Hole Borer beetle which attacks 137 tree species in Southern California. However; tests done by UC-Riveside came back negative.

The disease stopped spreading at the end of the summer and some of the most damaged trees started to grow new buds. But; researchers at UC- Riverside fear this mysterious disease will start to damage the willow trees again in the spring.  “These willow trees are found all along the coast of Southern California. They are a habitat for the endangered song birds, the Least Bell’s Vireo. If we lose the habitat for the Least Bell’s Vireo we could very well lose the Least Bell’s Vireo as well.”, says Conservancy board member Leonard Wittwer.

An expert from UC-Riverside expert traveled to the affected are to take more samples for testing. He hopes to have an answer soon. The clock is ticking. Not only are volunteers worried about beating the upcoming spring growing season, damaged willow trees dry out quickly creating a fire hazard.

Via: http://www.cw6sandiego.com/mysterious-disease-damages-willow-trees-along-escondido-creek-watershed/

Watch Where You Walk

When it comes to diseases like this you want to make sure you are careful where you're walking. It's possible that your shoes are picking up and carrying the disease-causing elements with you. Always be aware of where you're walking, what you're wearing on your feet and try not to cross-contaminate as you go about your journey. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but if you pay attention and follow the steps outlined for you by professionals.

If you have dead trees in your yard that need to be removed, make sure you let the company know about any disease concerns or ask them their professional opinion about it. Professionals are pros for a reason: there is a lot of education and experience that comes with the territory. They should always be your best bet.

The following post Is There an Arborculturist In The House? was first published on The All Clear Tree Service Blog

source http://www.allcleartree.com/removal/arborculturist-in-the-house