Somebody might want Chestertown to relinquish its Tree City USA designation by the time Asplundh and Delmarva Power finishes ‘pruning’ trees throughout the town. Half of a stately southern magnolia tree was erased from the Queen Street landscape today—the cost of having above ground lines. Because of current laws, power companies do not have to consult with city managers about which trees to cut, or how much.
According to the 2011 Electric Service Quality and Reliability only 25 percent of a tree’s crown can be removed. Hmmm.
jenifer emley says
And apparently they don’t have to consult with tree trimming experts either.
Joan Cramer says
Oh, Jim, that is heartbreaking. Thank you for reporting on it. Those people are butchers. You just have to walk past Stepne Manor to see what they did to the trees there last year. They even came onto my property one day to start hacking away (we have a power line along our driveway) and I had to make them leave. They don’t seem to know anything about trees or care about trees, and the law really, really must be changed.
MARY WOOD says
My trees have been butchered too. What can be done?
Jason Anthony says
Consult with Broadleaf Tree Service, LLC to ask what can be done. We’ve been running an ad. in the Tidewater Trader about this very issue for over a month now. Unfortunately we can not restore the previous natural state of the tree. However we can advise you on what trimming can be done to improve the look of the tree and to promote healthy regrowth after they’ve been “butchered”. Ways you can contact us for a free estimate: (website http://www.broadleaftreeservice.com) – (email: [email protected]) or by phone (410)708-3702. We’re very sorry that your trees have been treated so badly but would be happy to help you take care of them after.
Carla Massoni says
Earth Stewardship Days. Breaks my heart. One of the great trees in town. I had a mastectomy a number of years ago – and driving by this tree today just brought it all back. My procedure will save my life – this was just butchery.
Janet Christensen says
What a pity. How do they get away with defacing property like this.
Joe Diamond says
I have seen this exact situation elsewhere. A few things to consider:
* In an ice storm frozen rain or snow would exert enough weight to do exactly the limb adjustment you see in the picture.
* The weight of the limbs & ice would also bring down some or all the wire shown……….some wires are power lines, some are communication lines.
* Downed power lines are very dangerous.
* To avoid emergency repair…in the dark…with snow accumulation lines are cleared where property owners have not done tree maintenance to prune trees to eliminate the need for line clearance.
It is because of this exact situation that many municipalities require underground utilities. It is because of the costs involved in retrofit of underground utilities that overhead lines are often left in place even though line clearance becomes necessary.
Stephan Sonn says
By that Joe are you saying that there is a point when an old tree becomes a weed to later technology?
Seems like the gentle guys on those cherry pickers do not work by green thumb aesthetic standards.
What a shock!
joe diamond says
Something like that. If not a weed to technology than to themselves. Trees in nature spread seeds, their roots and sometimes even their limbs to reproduce. By the time a tree is finished it has, in a natural setting, cloned a whole tribe of itself. The dead trunk is still an ongoing colony for bugs and birds. Finally it settles back into he soil……….slowly unrolling the solar energy it collected while depositing the carbon into the soil.
In suburbia, it grows until it falls on someone or blocks power lines or windows. Consider the artificial means used to keep the Wye Oak standing. Eventually all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t get another hundred years out of it.
And you are correct….line clearing is not tree surgery. It is defense for the technology the wires bring. It is the safest, cheapest way to keep the lines from coming down. By law it can be done without prior notice. It is called an easement or utility right of way. Near major power transmission lines they mow under the wires to keep trees from getting started. The towers make the wind turbine project look like a walk in the park.
Ah, technology!
Pamela White says
You are looking at a picture of what is s left of my magnolia. It would have been nice if Delmarva had informed me of its plan to “trim” a tree on my property. Instead, the crew showed up one fine morning and began cutting, and were not interested in talking with me (or my neighbors).
Billie Beck says
Guess if folks wanted to give up their electricity and telephone and other modern conveniences they wouldn’t need those blessed lines and could keep the trees!!
joe diamond says
True, but then you have to select how close you want to allow the trees to your house. Even on a wooded setting trees need to be thinned as they grow. Consider thirty feet apart as a standard for mature trees. Then you can plant “understory” material in the shade. Limbs need occasional pruning and leaves will clog your gutters if you let them.
In cities trees are often allowed to get to the condition you see here; too big for the available space…Or the lines could go underground. Now could be the time. The telco equipment could be reduced by wi-fi solutions. TV service could be done by dish antennae and or wi-fi. Still, the power lines would have to go underground. It would be a long, ongoing project that would bump off many trees & $$$$$$$$$$$$$.
Carol Mylander says
Let’s bury electric and telephone wires underground. Historic Annapolis did it and we can too. Another important tree saving step would be to discontinue mounding gardens around town trees, this kills them more than bad pruning.
joe diamond says
let the mulch mounds continue. It does kill trees. It acts like a boring insect elevator and keeps the bark moist for easy chewing. Most of the town trees are out of column now. It is only a matter of time before they come down anyway. UG utilities = $$$$$$$. After the current trees are gone the next phase can begin. You might find others who would like to use the money elsewhere, however.