More removals are expected in Bruce's Garden & some history of recent tree removals

The work begun removing the trees in Bruce's Garden that had been damaged by strong winds on the afternoon of Sunday July 25th is to continue in the next few weeks.  The next removals will include the tree with the hollow core shown in the photograph posted in this blog on August 3rd.

The trees to be removed are mostly on the extreme northern end of Bruce's Garden along the fence bordering the driveway behind the Northeastern Academy.  Access to this area is difficult for the heavy equipment needed by the Forestry Department and the trees to be removed are not stable, as at least one is dead, in addition to the one with the rotten core.

A tall ivy -covered stump will also probably be removed as it is also probably rotten and could fall.

The destabilization of the trees began last summer when a large elm tree just to the west of the garden succombed to Dutch elm disease (DED) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_elm_disease is a fungal disease of elm trees which is spread by the elm bark beetle.

Once the elm tree was removed and its stump ground, the winds from the west during many storms hit the remaining trees with far greater force causing damages to occur.  A large limb was torn from one of the removed trees the week before the Fourth of July, nearly a year after the elm went down but only three weeks before the violent winds from the north caused the more extreme tree damages.

Isham Park visitors and area residents should be aware that Dutch elm disease also has resulted in the death of several other smaller trees in the park that were recently removed, notably two in the southwestern corner at the top of the large hillside area (and near to the same) where the Volunteers for Isham Park mulched on their June 19th 2010 work day (see June 21st blog post).

At center, dead elm at south end of park above
Park Terrace West (since removed)

Please let us know if you see other elms that appear to be dying.  Given the drought this summer, many trees appear to be weakened and their leaves are turning brown.  But if you let us know we will get the Forestry department to investigate and take action.