Bad Tree Pruning Is An Expensive Way To Save Money

By David Schwartz

In this era of massive budget shortfalls, every municipality from the largest to the smallest is looking to save money. The City of Cranston Rhode Island's solution was to have their Department of public Works trim the 28-year-old Gleditsia (honey locust). So much for good ideas.

There were approximately 40-45 Gleditsia, which were installed in 1982-1983 as part of a renovation of the Rolfe Square business district. I am very familiar with Rolfe Square as I lived in Cranston for many years. One day, as I was visiting my post office box, another patron of the post office, who I knew was an arborist, approached me to inquire if I had seen the trimming the Cranston DPW was doing to the trees on Rolfe Square. I said I had not noticed, but upon exiting the front door of the Post Office, I was rather amazed at what I saw. Many of the locust trees had been completely stripped out with up to 75 percent of the foliage removed. The cuts were a mix of slab cuts, stubs and ripped bark.

Later that day, I received a phone call from Cranston Councilman Emilio Navarro, who had been receiving calls from concerned residents about the appearance of their city's business district. He requested that I meet him on site. We met on the next day Friday, September 10, 2010. He wanted to know if the trimming that was done was proper or improper. I told him that in my opinion, these trees had been severely damaged. At that point, the Councilman approached the Department of Public Works to ask two questions: What was the purpose of the trim, and why was it being done in such a manner?

The administration responded in an email statement issued by Robin Schutt, the administration spokesperson: "To clarify, tree trimming is something that our Highway Department does routinely. The trees on Rolfe Street required trimming, as in many cases the branches were too low - and did not meet public safety standards, or were rubbing against buildings and roofs. Any damage from those is on the shoulders of the City. I realize, as does the Public Works department, that the long term life of a FEW of these trees might be compromised - but the reality is that these were not appropriate trees in the first place - and eventually will need replacing - trimmed or otherwise (and our decision was to save the trees for as long as possible)."

The e-mail also claims that the city saved $20,000 by doing the trimming in house. The City was pushing back pretty hard to justify their actions, and the fact that this was an election year hardened every one's positions. I am not a political person, and in my 40 years of practice, I have never met a tree that was either Republican or Democrat. My involvement was to act on behalf of the most innocent of the victims; the trees themselves.

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