Why doesn’t Parks just cut down all the trees and replant with new trees?

Eventually, all trees in the Colby strip will need to be replaced and replanted with a species that is more appropriate for the median.  While removing all the trees at once may be less expensive ultimately, Parks feels taking all the trees down at once would be a significant and abrupt change in aesthetic appearance.  Park’s funding is limited, and the removal and replanting process will likely happen over the next decade, as funding and project management time is available.   Parks would like to acknowledge that public support for this project is mixed, with as many people wanting the trees to be preserved as removed.  Parks has established parameters to assist with decision making process moving forward.   For example, for a ½ block remediation, the following parameters where presented:

  • Once a block has 120 feet or more with no trees standing; or
  • When 3 or fewer trees are remaining on a ½ block, and one of the trees has a risk rating above low, or a tree condition rating below fair, or the Park Arborist has determined one tree is in steady decline; and
  • Parks has the money to perform the work; then
  • Community outreach will begin around tree, stump and root removal, remediation of soils and replanting of new trees for that ½ block.

Show All Answers

1. Why did the Parks Department create a Colby Avenue Tree Plan?
2. Are you planning on removing all the trees?
3. Why were trees removed in fall of 2020 and not the other trees along Colby Ave.?
4. What does remediate soils mean?
5. When will trees start to be removed?
6. Why doesn’t Parks just cut down all the trees and replant with new trees?
7. Why are the trees dead, dying or diseased along Colby Avenue?
8. If you take a tree down, are you going to plant a new tree in its place?
9. What trees are you planning to plant in place of the existing trees?
10. Why weren’t native species selected?
11. What surface would go underneath and between trees?
12. Why are only deciduous trees being planted instead of evergreen?