Channel 4 aired this story and its sad. No wonder I look up taking videos and pictures of the trees in my neighborhood. The tops of other trees are completely missing or have sparse leaves. The new saplings that were planted to replaced the ones that were lost in the October freak snowstorm are dying due to neglect. Geez, when I was growing up, the city planted a tree in front of my house and my parents were responsible for watering it. Why would people now think that the city is responsible for watering every little tree in front of each and every building in the city?
Hertel Avenue lined with dead trees
Updated: Wednesday, 04 Jul 2012, 6:04 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 04 Jul 2012, 5:48 PM EDT
Lou Raguse
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - It's been an ongoing struggle in Buffalo since the surprise October storm of 2006. New trees are planted. But without proper watering in their first couple years, they die.
Two women who've spent countless hours in several neighborhoods taking care of the trees say they've had enough and are making a plea for help.
The city just hired a company to water and trim the trees in the medians along Main Street. But there are trees planted along streets all over the city that homeowners and store owners don't touch, assuming they are the city's problem.
For years now, this is a twice weekly routine for Connie Trask and Patty Ralabate. They volunteer their time filling five gallon pails and watering trees up and down Main Street to try and prevent healthy trees from ending up dead.
With the dry hot summer, it's starting to feel like a losing battle.
"At some point in time, we're going to get just too old to do this. It's a lot of work.
These buckets weigh a lot. And we're not large women, yet we're here doing it," Trask said.
When it comes to maintaining the greenscape, these women have had their battles with the city. But they both agree homeowners and business owners should start pitching in, taking care of the trees planted in front of their places.
"They need to have every individual, whether you own the property or rent the property, to take responsibility and keep your particular piece of paradise clean and watered," Ralabate argued.
The problem is especially evident on Hertel Avenue, where dozens of new trees have been planted in front of homes and businesses the last couple year with very little done to keep them thriving. All along Hertel Avenue there are dead trees, missing trees, and in one case a tree someone has painted completely yellow.
Many residents we spoke to didn't seem to know watering the trees themselves was an option.
"The city is, I think, supposed to take care of this tree right there," said Hertel Ave. resident Derrill McClamb.
Reporter Lou Raguse asked, "You have this beautiful landscaping here. Would it be worth it for you to water that tree to bring that tree up?"
"I was thinking about doing that," McClamb said.
Hertel Ave. resident Katie Felt said, "I had no idea no one was watering the trees."
"Would you do it if you knew that?" Raguse asked.
"I absolutely would water them," Felt responded.
That would be welcome news to the two "tree-ladies" of North Buffalo. Trask and Ralabate both say the city is now doing a good job keeping up the trees in the medians on Main Street, but they would like help with the LaSalle hill.
And some of the comments from the Channel 4 web site
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Lined with Dead Trees
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2 Comments:
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on 7/5/12, 4:34 PM,
Daniel Greenfield
said: -
on 7/10/12, 4:18 AM,
Keliata
said:
"Streets lined with dead trees? Perfect metaphor for the city of Buffalo"
I still remember walking down my street the morning after the storm. It was unlike anything I've seen. Live, green trees downed. Both sides of the streets.