What Happens When a City Plants a Tree Too Close to the Sidewalk

th (7)A fourteen-year-old girl, Sarah Pinking, was riding her bike home from school. As she was cruising along on the sidewalk on the southwest side of the city, she was injured. She broke her wrist on her right arm and her elbow on her left. She barely missed receiving a very dangerous and possibly fatal head injury, that morning she listen to her mother for once and wore her helmet that day. What happen to young Sarah as she rode her bicycle on the sidewalk that horrible day, she was flipped off her bike due to a broken sidewalk. It was uplifted from the ground due to shallow tree roots breaking through the cement.

Now the city is face with a decisions, what to do about the tree? It is a real doozy too. If they cut the tree down, they will have to deal with those folks that love the environment. The community is very much into environmentally safe and renewable resources and lifestyle. That is one viewpoint they have to consider.   Another option is to treat the roots. By trimming, them back or add some type of solution that will retard its growth. By going this route, they run the risk of decrease the trees stability. Anytime anyone touches or alters a tree’s roots, it is like cutting its leg out from under it. Most likely, the tree will fall over, creating an even bigger problem. Last option, the option am sure poor young Sarah will be greatly against considering her injuries she sustain from the roots, is to leave it alone.   However, it has already been proven how dangerous that option is to the public. How many more people will hurt themselves at the hands of this debacle tree’s roots? Anyone choice they make will be hard one, all guaranteed to have great opposition. All of which have very valid points in feeling how they feel about the situation.

When considering their options the community’s civil council decide to consult the expertise of Springfield Tree Service. Springfield Tree Service sent out a consultant to inspect the tree. Its health, vitality, and age. Gathering information to help the city determine the best option for both the city’s financial and negligent liability and something that will please the people. Alternatively, pacified them with reason if they do not agree with it. By taking advantage of the expertise and license arborist, the city council was able to come to make a decision and commit to it.

After the consolation with Springfield Tree Service, it was decided to have the tree removed. It was the most apt decision based on its potential growth, its projected pathway disturbances it will cause as it continues to grow, and what was financially sound. When presenting this decision to the community at first was met with a lot of negativity. However after the considered the data and information the tree service was able to provide, reason overcame emotions. Now Sarah can enjoy riding her bike without the risk of flipping over the handlebars due to some tree is being illogically planted too close to the sidewalk.

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