Eleven diseased or dead trees have been taken down in Forest Park since June 7, and another dozen or so have been marked and are scheduled for removal in July, according to Public Works Director John Doss.
Tree removal began in earnest after early June storms and wind took down several around the area.
Most of the trees that fall, said Doss, are silver maples or lindens, and he explained that it’s difficult to know a tree is sick or dying until it falls and you can see that the inside is rotting or hollow.
“Sometimes there’s no evidence anything’s wrong until the tree falls,” Doss said.
The village, said Doss, works with Davis Tree Removal, a Forest Park company that has assisted Forest Park with tree removal and other tree-related services for years. Doss said he has a long-time relationship with owner Bob Davis, with whom he consults regularly.
“Bob has told me that if we took down every tree with a hole or dead branches, we’d have no trees left in town,” said Doss. So the village trims dead branches and keeps an eye on trees that residents call in about.
