Mind your own damn business: enough with the insane heritage tree crap

[Anonymous]

Nextdoor blowin up because apparently someone cutdown a 'hertiage tree'. Who gives a crap? Why do people feel the need to have to stick their nose into every single thing? Let me guess, the tree huggers out there will shed tears for trees while simultaneously demanding we build affordable housing. Yet when people need to build, the same tree huggers will cry about 'what about the trees and butterflies!!' in order to prevent development.

Good grief, it is a city. It's already a concrete jungle anyway. People need to mind their own damn business, but I guess that's too much to ask for do gooders who move from saving the whales to saving city trees. Get govt the hell out of over regulating what owners do with their private land.

[Anonymous]

I'm assuming you cut down the tree? Most of DC snit concrete jungle, its a shady, gracious old southern lady. Or at least it wa until 2008 when all the broke New Yorkers started moving down here. . just pay the fine and get over it. And yes your neighbors will think you are a trashy person with bad taste. Which you are, you have no aesthetic sense, but what do you care? put on your oversized bargain suit and eat an over cooked steak, you'll feel better.

[Anonymous]

The trees help absorb all the water DC gets from storms. The more trees that are removed, the more flooding will occur. It's basically a negative externality that you impose on your neighbors when you remove an otherwise healthy, large tree.

Of course, if the tree is dying or a danger to others, it needs to be removed. Old trees need to safely come down when they reach their end point and especially if they start dropping large branches. But there's a process to do that legally.

But most people taking down large, old trees in DC just want to develop more of their property.

[Anonymous]

No, trees and bushes are important for soil stabilization, OP. They increase your property prices. It’s not just that they are psychologically beneficial and visually pleasing - they do physically serve a purpose in keeping the DC swamp relatively drained and somewhat clean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The trees help absorb all the water DC gets from storms. The more trees that are removed, the more flooding will occur. It's basically a negative externality that you impose on your neighbors when you remove an otherwise healthy, large tree.

Of course, if the tree is dying or a danger to others, it needs to be removed. Old trees need to safely come down when they reach their end point and especially if they start dropping large branches. But there's a process to do that legally.

But most people taking down large, old trees in DC just want to develop more of their property.

This! Stop cutting down healthy trees because the water ends up in everybody's basement.

[Anonymous]

I have lived in a neighborhood with the tree obsessed and they can get quite ridiculous.

A lot of time trees may appear beautiful and healthy from the outsides but inside they have fungus or are rotting. This harms of the integrity of the tree and a bad storm could bring down the tree or it's even possible that it just reaches a point and breaks. off a limb from disease inside.

Despite having certified arbor professionals talk to the neighborhood about this, people would still insist that the tree should be saved even when the professional would say the tree is dying, it is a hazard, the fungus or bugs can infect other healthy trees. It was crazy.

[Anonymous]

Trees create shade and oxygen and store carbon and as others pointed out also absorb a lot of water.

Literally one of the most important things in the livability of DC or any other city is our tree canopy.

In any case it is the law, and a well known and popular law at that, so you have no basis for complaining that you got caught so STFU or move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in a neighborhood with the tree obsessed and they can get quite ridiculous.

A lot of time trees may appear beautiful and healthy from the outsides but inside they have fungus or are rotting. This harms of the integrity of the tree and a bad storm could bring down the tree or it's even possible that it just reaches a point and breaks. off a limb from disease inside.

Despite having certified arbor professionals talk to the neighborhood about this, people would still insist that the tree should be saved even when the professional would say the tree is dying, it is a hazard, the fungus or bugs can infect other healthy trees. It was crazy.

Would love more specifics on this alleged thing you are outraged about - having dealt with UFA if a tree is dying they will grant a permit for its removal and will do so right away if the tree is a danger to people or property. If you removed a tree based on an experts opinion but without UFA permission you broke the law and deserve to be called out on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in a neighborhood with the tree obsessed and they can get quite ridiculous.

A lot of time trees may appear beautiful and healthy from the outsides but inside they have fungus or are rotting. This harms of the integrity of the tree and a bad storm could bring down the tree or it's even possible that it just reaches a point and breaks. off a limb from disease inside.

Despite having certified arbor professionals talk to the neighborhood about this, people would still insist that the tree should be saved even when the professional would say the tree is dying, it is a hazard, the fungus or bugs can infect other healthy trees. It was crazy.

This happened to us too, but ultimately I agree that we should expend every effort in preserving healthy vegetation.

Sadly, we were forced to cut down three diseased trees (including a huge one who looked in splendid health, until it started dropping massive branches on surrounding properties). We also trim our healthy trees with the help of an expert, to ensure years of good life.

Please take care of your trees!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nextdoor blowin up because apparently someone cutdown a 'hertiage tree'. Who gives a crap? Why do people feel the need to have to stick their nose into every single thing? Let me guess, the tree huggers out there will shed tears for trees while simultaneously demanding we build affordable housing. Yet when people need to build, the same tree huggers will cry about 'what about the trees and butterflies!!' in order to prevent development.

Good grief, it is a city. It's already a concrete jungle anyway. People need to mind their own damn business, but I guess that's too much to ask for do gooders who move from saving the whales to saving city trees. Get govt the hell out of over regulating what owners do with their private land.

Heritage trees are 100" or greater circumference. If you're in a neighborhood with heritage trees, you are not in a "concrete jungle."

[Anonymous]

The large trees are great, but eventually they do get unhealthy and can come down.

If they plant lots of trees to replace it, no big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The large trees are great, but eventually they do get unhealthy and can come down.

If they plant lots of trees to replace it, no big deal.

The reaction on Nextdoor is not to taking down diseased trees. It's to developers cutting down healthy heritage trees as a routine part of doing business and not blinking at the fines because it's just assumed it will be paid on every project. There was a whole article in the Post, emergency legislation passed, etc. None of this is about diseased trees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The large trees are great, but eventually they do get unhealthy and can come down.

If they plant lots of trees to replace it, no big deal.

The reaction on Nextdoor is not to taking down diseased trees. It's to developers cutting down healthy heritage trees as a routine part of doing business and not blinking at the fines because it's just assumed it will be paid on every project. There was a whole article in the Post, emergency legislation passed, etc. None of this is about diseased trees.

Agreed.

OP, you may have had a bad experience with a few neighbors pressuring you ignorantly to keep your sick trees, but please separate this from the general wisdom of doing everything in your power to keeping healthy trees healthy.

[Anonymous]

id rather have more trees than houses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:id rather have more trees than houses

So you want poor people to suffer?