Let’s Talk About Trees, Baby…
“God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.” ~John Muir
Last week a branch from a neighbor’s neglected, 30’ tall silver maple fell on our beloved 1997 Jeep Cherokee – my plant and mulch hauling car! Today, I am ranting about people who don’t take care of their trees.
Why is it that so many disrespect the power of trees?
Each time we move to a new house (much to my husband’s dismay) I spend a whole lot of money to have the trees fixed. It’s always our first big expense. I have them inspected and properly pruned. We’re talking thousands of dollars because no one before me (in any of the houses) ever took care of them. It isn’t cheap, but when you love trees as much as I do and you only buy properties with mature trees, you better prepare to assume the role of their keeper.
My favorite coffee mug from Muir Woods says, Keeper of the Trees. I gladly assume that role everywhere I live. 
How do I get this message across to homeowners who only call the tree care experts when their tree falls? Or better yet, those who want insurance money or sympathy when their tree hurts someone or ruins a house or car?
The image to the right is a picture of the silver maple on my street that dropped a branch on my Jeep. Isn’t it sad how they care so much to decorate the tree for Halloween (see the fantastic fake spider web they’ve draped around the trunk), but they care so little about whether or not the tree lives.
Right here in Baltimore, there was a story last year about a family who faced a horrific tragedy when a tree fell on their driveway. It was all over the news and people from all over the state were donating to the family.
I was appalled and angry, yet made to feel like an uncaring person.
They had a small house in a decent neighborhood in the suburbs. They made their driveway around what appeared to be a large silver maple. There was no grass around the maple. There was no “tree ring” around the maple. In fact, they parked right on top of this poor maple’s roots for many, many years. They didn’t know about the silver maple and it’s notoriously weak wood. A beautiful tree, especially when mature, but not a tree I would ever make a parking lot under. I know this. Tree care experts know this. Perhaps, if they hired someone to care for the tree, they would have known too.
Did they ever look up? Did they even know the tree was there? Were they keepers of that tree?
Sadly, they were not.
The tree was indeed in poor shape and one day a main branch fell from the tree and landed on top of their 3 year-old son. It killed him. Everyone blamed the tree. Because of this, there are now people in Baltimore who are afraid to have large trees, especially where children play.
I played in an old growth forest daily when I was a child. The trees were healthy. I never feared being injured. I worshiped them. They were my shelter, my forts, my friends. I visit those same trees with my children.
Those of you who know me know I am a very compassionate person and I care a lot about everyone and everything. I would never wish harm on anyone, especially a defenseless toddler. That being said, I had a really hard time feeling bad for this family. I was very sad for the little boy and for their loss, but I could not muster up the sympathy that the rest of the state was feeling for the family.
I blamed them for not taking care of their tree. If they had, odds are their little boy would be alive today and they would not fear trees.
Trees can be large… and trees can be dangerous if they are not properly maintained. If cared for, unless a rare disastrous wind or storm occurs, trees rarely hurt anyone. The tree didn’t mean to hurt the little boy. Not to anthropomorphize the tree, but I’m sure it held on to that branch until it couldn’t hold on any longer. This tree got a really bad rap.
I see trees in need of care all the time and it frustrates me. I know it is expensive, but it is part of taking care of the land. There should be a line item for tree care in everyone’s budget. There are people who pay to have their lawn mowed to within an inch of its life each week – whether it needs it or not. Rarely, do they spend any money on their trees, yet if one falls on their house or car – they’ll surely blame the tree. Trees do so much and ask so little. Why don’t people take care of their trees?
This image shows yet another large, dead tree in my neighborhood. This house is for sale. Do they think people are so ignorant that they won’t notice the large, leafless tree next to the house? Maybe if the house doesn’t sell until winter, the buyers will never know the difference between the healthy linden on the right and the undeniably dead one pictured here on the left. I would hate to inherit this mess.
Please vow to help educate people about the power (good and bad) of trees. The trees deserve it! Homeowners just don’t seem to get it. It’s our job to educate them.
I plan to confront my neighbor with the silver maple this weekend. Wish me luck!
I leave you with one last quote:
A tree which has lost its head will never recover it again, and will survive only as a monument of the ignorance and folly of its Tormentor. ~George William Curtis
I’m sure enjoying the rain in Baltimore these past few days, but completely dreading this weekend’s chore – lugging all the tropicals inside – ugh!
Until next week…
Happy Weeding,
Angela Treadwell Palmer
President, Plants Nouveau