Professional arborist climbs up a tree on Delaware Avenue, sawing branches by hand as he went up. Don’t try this yourself. November, 2014. Blogfinger photo ©
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
Do you have any large scary trees near or on your property? Many OG residents do. A few years ago, a large heavy dangerous branch fell onto a walking path in Firemen’s Park. It was right near the gazebo where children gather for the school bus. Luckily, no one was there when it fell. About two years ago, a branch fell off a massive tree next to our neighbor’s house, near our backyard on Mt. Hermon Way. It knifed through the wires and ripped off some gutters and drain pipes on our house. We lost cable, phone and electricity, but we were fortunate.
Many OG homeowners are fearful of trees near their houses, but they have no control over trees growing on somebody else’s property. Sometimes they try to do-it-yourself. A few years ago I saw a homeowner on the roof of his house, in the rain, reaching out with a chain saw to cut a branch off a tree. I stood there mesmerized, but afraid to yell or look away, fearing that I would be needed for CPR. Fortunately, he managed not to fall.
October 29, 2012. This tree came down during Sandy. It was at New Jersey Ave. and Main Ave.. Paul Goldfinger photo.
As many of you know, homeowners are responsible for trees on their property, as they are for their sidewalks. Neighbors sometimes get together to pay for tree care safety. Who is responsible if somebody else’s tree falls on your house? The Township has no budget for routine pruning of trees on land that they own, such as in Firemen’s Park.
Pruning trees is an expensive proposition, so many homeowners just ignore the problem. Some hire contractors to prune the worrisome dead or weak limbs of large trees as well as branches that can catch the wind. That leaves the tree looking a bit peculiar, but less likely to cause trouble during windy storms. If a tree is dead or near dead, it should be cut down.
Contractor uses a cherry picker to reach high branches on Delaware Ave. Blogfinger photo. ©
Today a private contractor (Aspen) showed up with two trucks to work on a few large trees at Mt. Hermon and Delaware. The crew of three were pruning branches, seemingly to allow the wind to blow through. They reached high branches by climbing the trees or using a cherry picker. I saw one of them hold a small chainsaw in one hand while cutting branches from a cherry picker. The climber used a hand saw.
All the branches were tossed into a huge grinder, converting them into wood chips. Those workers were very professional, wearing all sorts of protective gear, and remaining focused and efficient as they did the work.
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD. This music is called “Snowstorm” and is from the movie Snow Falling on Cedars.