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joso
Citizen
Username: Joso
Post Number: 84
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - 4:42 pm: | 
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One of the great things about South Orange is the beautiful tree lined streets. The large oaks, maples, ash, etc. create a lush and almost tropical feel at this time of year. Lately I have noticed that many of the steet trees being planted are flowering cherries, oranmental pears and other smaller trees. Nice in the spring, but they will never provide the stately, ancient atmosphere that the larger trees do. Does any one know if this is a new policy of the town to avoid the maintenance costs associated with the larger trees, a passing fad, or just a result of what has been on sale at the municipal street tree depot? Another thing is that there seems to be no rhyme or reason to what goes where. I can understand the desire to avoid a monoculture, subject to devastating disease, alla Dutch Elm, but the hodge podge of species is not particularly attractive. |
AGD4
Citizen
Username: Agd4
Post Number: 14
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 - 10:41 pm: |
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It would be interesting find out whether South Orange still has, or ever had, a Shade Commission.
You are absolutely correct that the current trees offered are not in character with what is already there. I don't think it is necessarily purposeful. I think what is currently chosen happens to be what is popular to plant -- the small trees you mentioned including the cherry and pear are especially used as parking lot trees or downtown street tree where there is not adequate space for the tree to ever reach its mature height.
Choice of trees is very important to maintaining streetscapes. Maple, the new varieties of Dutch Elm that are disease resistant, sycamores, to name a few are all trees that reach a height of 60 feet or more and provide the arching effect and shade for our streets. These streets add values to our properties.
One more point, I believe the smaller trees are actually more maintenance. The Calary pears are particularly vulnerable to lightning and windblasts. They end up needing to be replaced sooner than others.
Getting the information about the nature and size of older types of trees, out to residents and to the DPW would be helpful. In the historic district we have included articles about keeping our streets "green" in our newsletters & we suggest that if a tree comes down in front of your house, that you consult with the DPW as to what should take its place. But even here we have seen recent plantings of cherries and calary pears. |
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