I heard the same explanation that Mike has for this from one of my
local tree hugging friends.
Undersized tree pits/openings in pavement are a real problem for many street
trees because the roots need a border of permeable surface around the trunk
to absorb rain water.
Drought periods like we often experience for much of July, August and
September many years also contribute to underwatering. It's a good idea to
give mature trees supplemental watering during these times, because often
times a hard rain will not saturate the dry soil so that much of the rain
runs off without soaking in to the roots. Newly planted trees need
supplemental water for a few years because their roots systems tend to be
smaller than needed. The green "Gator Bags" that we've been using in Clark
Park are a great and simple tool. They also offer the trunks a little
protection from dog pee and baby strollers.
However, failure of anchoring roots that had been compromised by root
butchering from bad pavement work seems more likely to me than overall
weakening of the tree from inadequate water for the loss of the tree that
Kyle photographed.
-Lew
Mike V. replied:
"I think it far more likely that the guys that did the sidewalk simply
chopped through all of the tree roots on that side of the tree, thus
destabilizing them and making them helpless to resist the high winds of the
storm. This theory is supported by the fact that when the trees fell, the
roots that came up out of the ground on that side showed signs of cutting,
not tearing or snapping. Also, the workers were seen by several local
residents cutting through the trees, and when one raised a stability
concern, the (presumed) foreman just shrugged it off.
- Mike V."
S-Ali wrote:
"So
I have a theory about what happened to the trees on the 4500 block of
Walnut Street which fell during the storm last week.
If I am not mistaken, the tree-pits where not adequate for the trees to
receive water after the new sidewalk cement job was completed. I have seen
it happen in the past, older trees just fall over time from being smothered
by cement.
Opinions?
-S"
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