The willow oak in front of the Library was dying and there was nothing the city consultants could do about it. On February 7, the tree was cut down by city contractors. It was necessary, said Horticultural Supervisor Brian Townsend, to protect the pedestrians who walk under and around the tree.
At least four people came into the News Review office to make sure the paper knew about the tree. Others spoke about it online, on the playground or in Roosevelt Center. Many people thought this was a sudden decision. However, Townsend said the tree had been failing for at least 10 years. “We tried to revitalize it,” he said and gave a brief history of their work.
Ten years ago, the crown of the tree started showing stress. The city and the city’s Advisory Committee on Trees (ACT) took note and tried to give it extra care.
In 2014, Townsend and ACT identified the beginning of hypoxylon canker in the oak. The symptoms include the bark pulling away and a grey film covering parts of the tree.