Sandy.......talk about a woman scorned.....

I know that just about everyone on the East Coast felt Sandy's winds and rains over the past two days.  I trust and okay that everyone is well, no one is hurt and that we can all finish our fall clean up.......in addition to the stray tree's, limbs and leaves that are everywhere.

District Heights was virtually unscathed - in comparison to the last storm.  However - I challenge ANY local arborist to drive through the City and look at the awful, ridiculous hack job that has been done on some of the City trees.  Honestly, I though that the square Bradford pear trees in Forestville were bad - but the way some of the trees have been "HACKED" to clear utility lines....I had to ask myself if Edward Scissor hands cousin came through!!!  Some of the trees have been NOT artfully pruned with proper cuts, suckers are still at the base AFTER they were pruned and some are seriously one sided.  Terribly bludgeoned!!

In one of the Harry Potter movies that I watched with my daughter years ago, the trees spoke.  In reality, trees do speak to those of us who can hear them.  The mountains of mulch that are piled on the root flares suffocates the trees and will eventually result in death to the trees.  Allowing suckers to grow from the base can also interfere with tree health.  Improper cuts can result in witches broom type growth that is not just bad for the tree, but weakens and shortens the lifespan of the tree as well .

It would be better to identify the failing trees and remove them, than to consistently hack them up to "SAVE" them.  The time could be better spent in the coming years, on restorative pruning and maintenance of the remaining trees.

Take a walk around your neighborhood and notice the condition of your trees.  Listen to them and hear their story.....and whatever you do, if you see one of those mulch volcano's....... let someone know that they are suffocating a breathing and living piece of this earth!!!