Trees along 8th Ave may need to be replaced

The Arbutus trees on 8th Ave. have become victims of our snowy, cold winter.

Shawn, one of the neighbors living on 8th Ave., is concerned about the dying trees lining the street between 67th & 70th. “These trees are not only beautiful, but they have provided noise control and privacy for many home owners,” he wrote in an email. Nolan Rundquist, City Arborist for Seattle Department of Transportation responded to Shawn’s inquiry and says our winter may have been too hard on the trees. “We’re zone 8-9 and this particular tree is hardy in zone 9a (down to 20 degrees F),” Rundquist explains, “Zones 8a and 8b experience temps as low as 10 degrees F, so this particular tree is marginal for our area. In a normal winter, it will be just fine, but if we get a hard, cold snap, it can have some problems.” Rundquist says that crews will check the trees in a week or so but “the majority of the brown trees are going to be candidates for removal and replacement.”