A crew from Layton’s Tree Service cuts down an old tree at South Street and Chairman Blake Drive on Monday. (David Boraks photo)

A towering willow oak cut down on Monday downtown is one of 38 diseased or dead trees around town that a consultant has recommended for removal. The recommendations came in an inventory of street trees by Bartlett Tree Experts, which also found that most trees along main thoroughfares in the old part of Davidson – 82 percent – fall into the category of “mature.” That means more trees in the coming years could face the same fate as the tree removed Monday.

Bartlett said in the study that 38 trees in or near the town center should be removed, because they are “potential hazards or in advanced stages of decline.” The consultant looked only at trees along major roads.

The tree removed Monday was about 75 years old, according to rings counted on its stump, and stood at Main Street, Chairman Blake Drive and South Street, across from the CVS and next to the law office of John Cunningham 3d. It was a willow oak, the most common tree in Davidson, according to Bartlett.

A map on the town website identifies trees in poor condition (red dots), including the one cut Monday at South Street and Chairman Blake Drive (arrow). Click on the picture to see the full map.

About half (49 percent) of trees identified in the study are in “fair” condition, Bartlett said. Another 41 percent were rated “good,” 9 percent “poor” and 12 were found to be dead.

Mr. Cunningham said he consulted several arborists before deciding to cut the willow oak next to his office. (Property owners are responsible for pruning or removal of trees on their property.)

“Even though there was greenery on top, they looked at it and said it wasn’t going to last long,” Mr. Cunningham said.

One told Mr. Cunningham that large limbs were rotting and in danger of dropping. And the tree also had rotting roots and was at risk of toppling if it were hit by high winds. That could have spelled trouble: power, cable and telephone lines surrounded the tree, supplying services in two directions. (Other old trees have been damaged or blown down in recent years; an April 2007 windstorm felled large trees on South Main Street and Lorimer Road.)

Arborists told Mr. Cunningham that willow oaks typically live 70 to 80 years. Drought conditions over the past year may have hastened the tree’s decline, he said. The experts say the same may be true of other trees around town.

The tree cutting crew dismantled the old oak piece by piece and lowered the huge limbs with a crane. (David Boraks photo)

IS YOUR TREE ON THE LIST?

See a page of information about the town’s Greenprint Project on the Town Website. Includes information gathered from the recent tree inventory and other documents. Specific locations of trees are listed in the “Street Tree Inventory Report.”

RELATED COVERAGE

May 23, 2008, “4-min. interview: Dave Martin on preserving natural assets” – Chair of the town’s Natural Assets Stakeholders Committee discusses efforts to save the tree canopy, open space and other assets. (Audio interview)

Sept. 17, 2007, “Tree inventory begins next month”

July 26, 2007, “Greenprint committee to begin work”

July 3, 2007, “Town awarded grant for preserving tree canopy”

June 13, 2007, “Study to help town rewrite tree ordinance,” a report on Davidson’s shrinking tree canopy and town efforts to address the issue, written for DavidsonNews.net by Davidson College students Christie Brough and Jaquin Milhouse

April 16, 2007, “Winds knock down trees, closing roads”