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June 26, 2007

Arboricide in Stuyvesant Heights?

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We got an email from a reader concerned about some potential arboricide going on near Fulton Park in Stuyvesant Heights. Evidently, the Parks Department was taking down trees with an enthusiasm that warranted the block association on Stuyvesant Avenue posting these warning signs on all the trees. Can anyone tell us how this played out? Was this just an over-reaction to some pruning or was the Parks people getting a little clipper-happy?
Photo from the Bridge and Tunnel Club




Posted by Brownstoner at 9:31 AM | Comments (19)
Categories: Bedford Stuyvesant, Parks

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Comments

"BY ORDER OF THE BLOCK ASSOCIATION"

I love it--sounds so OFFICIAL! Just the thing to get the attention of a jaded bureaucrat. I hope it works.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at June 26, 2007 9:54 AM

I would bet it is about the Long-horned beatle in which case the powerful BLOCK ASSOCIATION can't do much about it.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 26, 2007 10:01 AM

I agree with Anonymous 10:01AM.... this action on the part of the Parks Dept., to take down trees, I if in fact trees are being taken down) might be due to the infestation of the trees with Asian longhorned beetles.

The Block Association should check this out before jumping to conclusions.

If it's just aggressive tree pruning, keep in mind, after heavy rains, some of these trees become killers when branches snap off, and the trees do need judicious pruning.

http://www.house.gov/weiner/report030903.htm

Posted by: bren at June 26, 2007 10:12 AM

What a joke.. LPC does not have any say over trees.

If its Park land then the Parks department can pretty much do whatever they like.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 26, 2007 10:21 AM

"BY ORDER OF THE BLOCK ASSOCIATION"

haha cracks me up too.

Posted by: armchair_warrior at June 26, 2007 11:08 AM

armchair_warrior it is way too funny!
best chuckle I have had all morning!

Posted by: bren at June 26, 2007 12:13 PM

Re Anon 10:21: There are some locations where trees are specifically protected under a "Special Natural Area" policy, though not by landmarks as far as I've been able to find.

Ditto Anon 10:01: Any sign of ALB will trigger complete removal and chipping of the tree and all its parts.

The Block Association can call 311 to contact Parks Forestry Services to find out what's going on.

Posted by: Xris (Flatbush Gardener) at June 26, 2007 12:31 PM

Bed Stuy was actually one of the first places in New York to "Landmark" a Tree ; not sure if these are, but I know it can happen

Posted by: Anonymous at June 26, 2007 12:39 PM

Did anybody see the OpEd in the New York Times on 6/24 about the danger posed by Asian Longhorned Beetles? http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/opinion/nyregionopinions/24CTtepper.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

On Staten Island alone, they will be chopping down 10,000 trees this summer. It's estimated that half the city's trees are infected -- that's 5 million, or more than 100 times the number of trees in Central Park. In 2001, the U. S. Dept of Agriculture said it could contain the problem by 2009. Then funding was cut and now 2033 is their estimate. Meanwhile the infection is likely to spread to the suburbs, the Catskills, Adirondacks and New England. This is heavy stuff. Communities and individuals should cooperate with the efforts -- either through tree injections or removal -- to control the infection. Getting all touchy feely and defensive about it is just sticking your head in the sand.

Posted by: NeoGrec at June 26, 2007 1:02 PM

If protected trees are removed they should be replaced by a very large view blocking banner strung between two poles, asking for information about the destruction. This is done in Sydney and appears to be quite effective dis-incentive.
If you dare kill a protected tree, you get an eyesore banner up to replace it. This removes most of the incentive to do it in the first place.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 26, 2007 2:10 PM

It will be preserved.
Resistance is futile.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 26, 2007 4:01 PM

I pass this tree on the way to the train station all the time. There seems to be a hug crack rising up from the base of the tree to about shoulder-high on its trunk. My immediate thought was that the old tree proved a hazard and the Parks dept. was going to cut it down until a resident stepped in. But that's just a guess on my part.

Posted by: Robert Jones, Jr. at June 26, 2007 4:20 PM

yes there is a huge crack problem in that area

Posted by: Anonymous at June 26, 2007 4:32 PM

This a link to "a map of the most recent ALB infestation area"

http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/trees_greenstreets/beetle_alert/beetle_alert.html

... and what to look for.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/trees_greenstreets/beetle_alert/what_for.html

Posted by: Anonymous at June 26, 2007 5:26 PM

In addition to the infestation area, there's also a much larger ALB quarantine area that covers basically all of Brownstone Brooklyn and most of northern Queens. When my neighbor had wood waste (fallen branches after one of the Spring storms) she called 311 to arrange for a special pick up so that it could be kept separate from other trash and incinerated.

Posted by: NeoGrec at June 26, 2007 6:25 PM

I was wandering around yesterday looking for this tree and I couldn't find it! Then my mind started wandering and I became interested in the nearby blocks looking to enter the greenest block contest. So much for my investigative reporting skils...

Posted by: The Changeling at June 26, 2007 7:22 PM

I was wandering around yesterday looking for this tree and I couldn't find it! Then my mind started wandering and I became interested in the nearby blocks looking to enter the greenest block contest. So much for my investigative reporting skils...

Posted by: The Changeling at June 26, 2007 7:23 PM

I was wandering around yesterday looking for this tree and I couldn't find it! Then my mind started wandering and I became interested in the nearby blocks looking to enter the greenest block contest. So much for my investigative reporting skils...

Posted by: The Changeling at June 26, 2007 7:23 PM

Sorry for the multi-post!

Posted by: The Changeling at June 26, 2007 7:24 PM

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