Remembering the Trees
We’ve learned that many of you have some pretty strong opinions about the trees in our community. First the landscaping code changes come up for a conversation. Now the historic North Slope neighborhood loses a much loved redwood tree.
The tree at North 6th and Cushman – our neighborhood – was whittled down to nothing by crews after growing for more than 100 years. This in a neighborhood that sparked the beginnings of a conversation about an historic tree registry back in 2008.
In recent years, the tree in the news this week had a habit of rerouting a neighbor’s water line and was causing liability concerns for the homeowner. In the TNT story, neighbors reminisce about playing beneath this tree. It was a neighborhood icon for them.
In the end, nobody was happy and a beloved redwood tree that offered generations of children a place to frolic was cut out of a North Tacoma neighborhood.
Perhaps this is the perfect example of the ways in which a tree can tear apart both infrastructure and neighbors. Or perhaps a tree that has provided 120 years of enjoyment for the people in the neighborhood has served a purpose in terms of quality of life that justifies the cost of one day having to take it out. However you tell the story, we’re sorry to see such a venerable member of the neighborhood go.
And it’s a good argument for well-planned decisions on tree placement.
Read more about the recently deceased redwood from The News Tribune
Previously on Exit133: Landscaping Code Changes Proposed to Increase Tree Canopy
Filed under: green-tacoma
5 comments
T talus May 9, 2012
Very sad — that tree was the biggest redwood I’ve seen north of the Rogue River! It would have been nice to have notice of its impending demise so that neighbors could have investigated alternatives or at least bid the big tree adieu.
T tacoma_1 May 9, 2012
It may be sad, but it was definitely inevitable. Any tree that large above ground will have a massive root system below ground in order to: a) keep it upright, and b) supply it with water and nutrients.
Planting a giant sequoia or a coastal redwood (from the picture this looks like a coastal redwood to me) requires a lot of planning and foresight. Any of our city parks are great locations for such a magnificent tree. Point Defiance park has some excellent specimens, as does Wright Park. Next to a house…….not such a great idea.
F fredo May 9, 2012
agree tacoma1. I watched them take it down for awhile and kept a few pictures on my phone. It was a magnificent tree to be sure. Should have been planted in a wide open area however.
T tacoma_1 May 9, 2012
Actually, for all we know, it was planted in an open area originally. Redwoods live a long time. As usual, the TNT provides very little information. Neither the age of the tree (which is easy to tell by counting tree rings once you have a stump) or the age of the house is listed in the article.
F fredo May 9, 2012
good point tacoma_1. That probably WAS an open area back in the 1800s. Also, there probably weren’t any city utilities underground like water lines. Back in the old days when people were thirsty they had to go down to the 7-11 and get a bottle of water.