Mount Pleasant DC Forum

[Subcity]

I just discovered that the old elm in front of my house on Kilbourne has been marked to be taken down. (I discovered this when I spoke to a crew working on a nearby tree about my tree and the foreman told me that the orange paint on my tree meant it was set to be cut down. In other words, the city did not tell me.)

Yes, the tree has some dead branches, but it also has leaf-filled branches.

I just called the DC Urban Forestry dept. and was told:

1. The tree was marked about 2 weeks ago.

2. It takes "3 to 6 months" before a crew will actually show up to cut it down. (The woman sounded sincere, but who knows - they could show up tomorrow.)

3. There is no appeal process.

4. A DC arborist will call me back in the next day or so.

If the tree really can't be saved, then so be it, but if it has a chance, I'd like it saved.

Any suggestion as to how I can stop them from cutting down the tree?

[MPDC]

What about hiring an independent arborist for a second opinion?

[Jennrgolden]

These huge old trees really are an asset to the value of your home! Losing it is a big deal. Take care, however, that you don't talk them into keeping it when it really is dying or you will end up with a tree on top of your car (whomever's car is parked near it) and if it's big enough...possibly on your house. The young-ish tree in front of my home seemed perfectly fine one evening when a storm blew through and the tree uprooted and landed on my 4 month old car (first new car I'd bought in 10 years)...the tree that fell was full of leaves top to bottom with just a couple of dead branches...when the tree fell we could see that is hollowing out from the roots up and caused it to topple.

Here is a link to the photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.452058883593.234536.699668593&type=3&l=445526c137

[kelly5612]

If it has to come down, get UFA's assurance that they will replant with a similar shade tree. If it does take 3-4 months, that puts you in prime planting time for new trees.