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.”
Trees along 8th Ave may need to be replaced
From Wiki:
Increasing development pressures in Pacific Madrone habitat have also contributed to a decline in the number of mature specimens. This tree is extremely sensitive to alteration of the grade or drainage near the root crown. Until about 1970, this phenomenon was not widely recognized on the west coast; thereafter, many local governments have addressed the necessary protection of Pacific madrone by stringent restrictions on grading and drainage alterations when madrone are present. The species is also affected to a small extent by sudden oak death, a disease caused by the fungus Phytophthora ramorum.
I wonder if they will force the adjacent property owners to cover the cost. When a tree goes bad on the parking strip by your house, the city will force you to pay, even on the parking strip which is city property. That and sidewalk damage.
It's sad to lose trees, but if they are dying it's safer to remove them. I was at Salmon Bay Park about three years ago and there was a tree at the edge of the play area that was badly diseased apparently because a huge branch finally gave way and cracked off and fell right next to the play area. It was so big that the crack sounded like a fire cracker and it could've really badly hurt anyone had they been under it. None of us lay-people could tell the tree was diseased so I'm glad the city is stepping up and asking advice of arborists on tree health around public areas. As for the branch falling incident – it was kind of a telling experience about the neighborhood moms. There were many “Oh my god!”'s and my little corner let out the “Oh f**k”'s! One of those “all decorum goes out the window” moments.
Trees are people too. They have feelings, thoughts, and will someday make something of themselves. Like baseball bats, furniture, and maybe your house. If a tree falls along 8th ave NW and there's nobody there to hear it, does it still need a protester? Have at it people.
you are, like, such a dick.
I sure hope not because one of the completely dead trees is directly behind my house. I for one don't quite buy the harsh winter reason because those trees have been on their way out for a few years now. It’s a shame, I liked that tree.
I second that. Without hiding my handle. This is Trix – calling Norwegian a dick.
If the trees are diseased, yeah cut them down. But if they aren't sick and the city just wants them gone, heck yeah I'll protest. Trees are important to a neighborhood.