Urban forestry set to cut down courthouse trees
Local residents may be concerned when they see the majority of the trees around the courthouse cut down during the next phase of Main Street, but according to urban forester Nick Kuhn there’s no reason to worry, it’s all part of the plan. The removal of the aging and damaged trees is part of a landscaping project that is meant to blend the grounds around the courthouse into the rest of the Main Street design scheme.
The revamp of the courthouse grounds wasn’t part of the original Main Street design, but Kuhn said once officials really looked at the condition of the trees they began to see the need.
“I’ve had problems with the trees around this building beforehand,” Kuhn said. “They’re in really poor shape. There’s constantly stuff breaking out of them.”
Kuhn said the trees haven’t received proper maintenance over the years.
“They’ve been topped,” he said, “and from what I can tell, they’ve been topped twice, and they’re hollow. It’s just what happens given enough time.”
The location of the trees also had an effect, according to Kuhn.
“They’re in a tough place. Right at the side of a building near a parking lot is a tough place for a tree,” Kuhn said. “So after all this work is done and they dig up around the trees, now you’re cutting a bunch of roots, it’s even worse.”
Kuhn talked the situation over with city administrator Herb Llewellyn and the decision was made to contact the county to discuss how to remedy the problem.
“Phase one is finishing up here,” Kuhn said. “We’re going to be starting phase two pretty soon and it was like what’s the county going to do. We’re going to get in there and do all this work, and these trees are going to fail, they’re going to fall because of the problems and they’re not putting anything back, whereas we’re going to be doing extensive landscaping all the way around it.”
A meeting was set up with the Building and Grounds committee, along with several other county officials, who agreed something needed to be done, and since Kuhn was doing landscaping work on the Main Street he was asked to handle the landscaping of the courthouse grounds as well. The actual landscape design will be done by horticulturist Patrick Haller, and will include plants native to the area with all plants purchased from local nurseries if at all possible. Shade trees will be included in the project at the request of county officials, according to Kuhn.
County commissioner George Smartt agreed the upgrade is much needed.
“We’re trying to modernize the ancient courthouse by making the outside look more up-to-date,” Smartt said. “Removing these diseased trees is a good idea. If you look at them most of them are hollow and they are dangerous because of that. A good wind, where they’re split, could push them over and damage the courthouse or somebody’s vehicle, or even worse, could hurt somebody. So they are a safety hazard and need to come out.”
Kuhn says he realizes the courthouse is important to residents for both esthetic and historical reasons, and he wants to provide a pleasing landscape around the building.
“We just want to make it look good and fit in with the rest of the Main Street project,” Kuhn said.