Plymouth’s Urban Forest and Flower Committee discussed several issues with trees in various parts of the city during their meeting this week.
The Honey Locus trees planted in the South gateway will have the dead branches pruned out but they are still not up to par according to member Luke Felde. Felde asked about the guarantee on trees and learned that the city is working with the company who did the project to see if the city would be due compensation since they really weren’t what we paid for. He felt the city had paid for first class quality top notch trees that haven’t performed very well.
City Attorney Sean Surissi said he would follow up with the company and Rick Gaul to see where things are at.
Committee Chairman Mike Woolfington asked about pruning some of the dead out of the new trees in River Park Square.
The attorney said the Redevelopment Commission discussed the issue earlier in the week and Mike Reese from the Troyer group. This fall a decision will be made as to which trees will be replaced as part of the project. It is expected that some of the trees would not survive the transplant process.
On April 27th the City of Plymouth conducted an Arbor Day planting with several trees. The three planted in front of Webster School are struggling. One hawthorn appears to be hanging in there while the other two may have died.
Committee member Steve Listenberger said if may be a water issue. He said, “We are in a bit of a drought right now and everything that we planted this last year will take that really hard.” He suggested trying to get some water to the trees. He also commented that some of the trees in the new park need water too.
Mike Hite Superintendent of the park department said they have some treegators that will trickle water into the tree base for 6 to 8 hours. He will see about placing the water filled inter-tubes around the trees.
Mayor Mark Senter also said the Ash trees at the Young Amphitheatre have been hit by the emerald ash bore and the tops are dying out.
