Hurricane Isabel just paid a Mountain Lakes a visit, and as with any major storm, residents were concerned with falling trees and the resulting property damage and loss of power. Such concerns are valid, and it is reasonable to ask how we can protect our community and limit Shade Tree Commission.
Every year, during the late summer, the members of the commission walk every street in town and inspect every street tree in the right-of-way – that strip of land owned by the Borough at the side of the street. We identify any problems with the trees requiring attention, especially situation where there is a danger of tree limbs or trunks falling on people, property of power lines. We create a “prune and remove’ list that is used by the Borough Manager to plan the annual tree maintenance program execute by our own DPW; heavier work is performed by a professional tree contractor.
In addition to this program, a tree contractor employed by JCP&L has been doing maintenance this summer to prune and remove trees that are close to power lines.
In addition to this program, a tree contractor employed by JCP&L has been doing maintenance this summer to prune and remove trees that are close to power lines.
We know that this activity will not prevent all tree damage in storms. Sometimes storms take down healthy trees.;
Sometimes a tree can be weakened in ways that are not visible to external inspections. But rest assured that the Shade Tree Commissioners are working diligently to eliminate tree hazard in order to protect you, your property and your power supplies.
What can you do to help? Please inspect your own trees regularly for hazardous conditions. Or even better, hire a professional arborist to check them for you. And if you see problems with a Borough owned street tree, let the Borough Manager or the Shade Tree Commission know about it. Urgent problems will be dealt with in timely manner; less urgent issues will be added to the annual maintenance activity.
If you think you might be interested in helping with this important work, contact Borough Hall to express your interest in volunteering. Training is provided to the Shade Tree Commission member on identifying hazardous trees. Do your part to help us strike the right balance of preserving healthy trees and eliminating tree hazards.
From the Home and School Bulletin, November, 2003
