As pedestrians will, I often stop in my tracks and look around at interesting sights. Recently I saw a tree that was dotted with shelf-like fungi, some white and some brown or dark red. I was guessing that a tree hosting so much fungus was way past its prime, and so it was no surprise to see that the top split off.
But I had noticed several others in the same state and fretted over the thought that they might fall into the street. Loose bark (as above) is one clue to a dead or dying tree.
This tree is far from healthy.
This Park Avenue tree has a deep cavity, probably from insect infestation.
This tree is just plain dead and is falling apart. Now that we have new apartments being created on Park Avenue, maybe it is time to revive street scape plans that have been in abeyance for some time. The street is also the main north-south route through the city and needs to look a little nicer than it does right now.
A walk from Second Street to Seventh would quickly reveal the problem trees. Whenever they can be removed or replaced, the street will be safer as well as more aesthetically pleasing.
--Bernice
well...LIKE a broken record here goes....
ReplyDelete- In other cities when you rehab a building in a downtown area sometimes one of the requirements a lot of local authorities will put into the permits being issued is replacing or caring for the trees in front of the building...they must be approved trees and be taken care of and maintained by the property owner of the commercial building...
But, I realize, again...this is Plainfield and that simply can't happen.
Actually, Paramount did plant two new trees in front of the old Eiseman's store. The older trees go back to maybe the 1970s. Look at the names on the plaques - many are long gone. Park Avenue ownership has changed a lot since then.
ReplyDeletealot of the issues with the trees -- circles are either destroyed or never widened to allow for the tree growth...its the little things ... all of them combined that cause a downtown area to look neglected and bad... Try convincing anyone in the Plainfield City government whether it's law enforcement or standards for how the area should look that "Broken Windows" is a real and viable theory to maintaining quality of life..
ReplyDeleteInstead we have a group of blow hards whose only goal is to one up the other group between elections then hold hands and sing songs the day of the election...
Don't we have a shade tree commission? Are they supposed to at least call attention to areas in need of new trees and prioritize the funds when available to replace dead trees? I don't see this lack of attention in other towns.
ReplyDeleteThe Shade Tree Commission has been responsible for planting hundreds of trees, often in conjunction with roadway improvements and development. That's why I mentioned the streetscape program. Plantings would be coordinated with new sidewalks as happened downtown during the first phase of the program. I think the second phase was supposed to go from Second to Fifth. Meanwhile, any trees that are just falling apart should be removed.
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