All good things must come to an end, including a majestic elm tree that overcame long odds to soar above College St.
Our columns about a fence rail dissecting a tree on Avoca Ave. — cut down by Urban Forestry after we sent it photos — spurred outrage from readers who are still sounding off about it.
Dorothy McWhirter sent us a note saying she was acquainted with the Avoca tree, adding, “I cannot believe that you sent a picture to the city without thinking of the consequences first.”
Others were prompted to tell us about trees more likely to come crashing down, particularly one at 1242 College, dubbed “The Colossus” by a reader for its impressive height.
Julia Beyer emailed to say “this is a much more serious situation” than on Avoca, noting that it looks to be dead, and that “last year, a few very large branches fell off onto the sidewalk.”
Beyer said that after she contacted the city, “they brought an expert in, and the expert said that the tree is a hazard and the city would cut it down.
“The tree is huge. It has branches overhanging at least three houses and the sidewalk and street. My friend is in fact quite disturbed by the tree every time she visits me and will not park anywhere near it.
“I am pretty disturbed myself.”
We went there and found a tree that towers far above the houses on College, in an area with hardly any trees. Incredibly, it is rooted in a tiny sliver of soil between the sidewalk and houses, which doesn’t seem to be nearly enough dirt to sustain such a lofty specimen.
Some trees are incredibly hardy and can find sustenance in a hardscrabble environment, which is obviously the case here.
It is marked with a large red dot, a death sign that means it has been tagged for removal. What a shame to lose such a determined survivor.
STATUS: Brian Mercer, manager of tree protection and plan review with Urban Forestry, said it’s an American elm that is diseased and must be removed. He estimates it is 60 to 70 years old and thrived by sucking up moisture that seeps into the compacted soil beneath the sidewalk through cracks in the concrete. A smattering of leaves on its branches in winter is an indication of Dutch elm disease, said Mercer, adding it was marked for removal after an inspection in September. He doesn’t know exactly when it will be taken down, but said it will certainly be done this year.
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