AROUND THE GARDEN

With The Lorax much in the news these days, perhaps it’s time to talk about trees in our city and state. While I haven’t seen any Truffula trees lately, I have seen a whole lot of tree crews working over our roadside trees. And I mean “working over” in both senses of the phrase.

Just last Monday, WNPR’s John Dankosky interviewed a group of  tree experts on his program, “Where We Live.”  The title of the program was “Imagine Your Town Without Trees.” Two foresters from the CT DEEP spoke about the fact that Connecticut has nearly 60% tree cover.  It was hard not to hear them as apologists for Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s post-storm declaration of war on trees.

Just today, the Hartford Courant published an AP story about the increased budget for DOT’s tree-clearing along state roads. Motorists along Route 9 have been appalled to see the use of a machine known as a flail, which can be driven along the roadside, slashing everything in its path. Connecticut Light and Power is ramping up their efforts as well, and have been meeting with town officials to describe their plans of attack.

While home owners don’t have much say about state highways, it’s important to remember that we do have the right to protect the trees on our property that may be targeted by utility tree clearance crews. Clearly, we may feel some conflict on this score: no one wants to be the Grinch who caused a power outage for the whole neighborhood. On the other hand, it’s awful to live with a tree that has been hacked until it can no longer provide shade, or grow into a structurally sound tree. Sometimes the solution is to say “No” to the tree crew, and then hire your own arborist to do a proper job.

And, as citizens of Middletown, we should remember that state roads within the City are not a lost cause. Our elected officials can and should stand up to the utility company or the DOT when trees are being pruned or removed contrary to proper methods or common sense.

The adage “I am too poor to afford cheap goods” applies to tree pruning as much as it does to any good or service. If trees are pruned correctly from the time they are planted – or even at the nursery – they will grow into trees we don’t have to worry about later on.

After all, it wasn’t entirely the fault of the trees – those tall distribution wires that came down weren’t felled by trees. One expert I spoke with said that CL&P’s own testimony stated that the poles used in Connecticut are only rated for forty mile per hour winds. And, as we have learned to our increasing dismay, a huge proportion of utility infrastructure in Connecticut is past its useful lifespan.

In fact, it never really is the fault of the trees: it’s we humans who plant trees where they don’t belong. Planting the right tree as a street tree is common sense, but many of us have no idea how tall a tree might grow. Asking questions at the garden center or nursery is one way to avoid an expensive problem later on. Don’t just ask “How big will this tree get?” – you will almost always get an answer based on a 20-year lifespan. Ask specifically, “What is the ultimate height of this tree?” or “How tall will this tree be in 75 years?”

If you are one of the lucky – or smart – homeowners who has no utility wires at the street, much of this is irrelevant. Still, you should be aware that you are responsible for the service wires that bring your electricity, telephone and cable to your house. Planting a tree too close to those lines is just as hazardous, and you must pay to maintain those trees yourself. And, naturally, it’s also smart not to plant weak-wooded trees near the street or your driveway: extremely fast-growing trees such as Norway maples and many conifers such as white pines quickly become a problem when pedestrians, bicyclists or cars become targets.