Remember all the trees downed by the state’s big storms? New Haven Garden Club warns of possibly excessive tree-trimming program by United Illuminating
The UI position of ETT (Extreme Tree Termination) is poorly planned response to a natural process. Trees have aesthetic and functional value (shade, wildlife, air purification, water absorption, noise reduction, privacy). Trees get old and drop branches. UI puts overhead lines up because it is cheaper than in the ground. There area couple real solutions 1) Assess the trees around the power lines and remove old, diseased limbs and trees as needed. This must be done by a licensed arborist who has the skill to evaluate the health of the tree, not the money they will make taking it down. 2) Put wires underground and leave the pole in front of each persons house, especially in areas where there are less people and more trees. Just because UI removes a tree that is 10 feet from the wire does not mean a 40 foot tree twenty feet away will not fall. This is why a careful evaluation of the area equal to the tree height is essential and the 8 foot rule is ineffective. The old method of trimming the tree around the wire and annual evaluation of tree health, with consistent pruning of dead diseased limbs, is best. You can find more information at http://www.gardenclubofnewhaven.org
The UI position of ETT (Extreme Tree Termination) is poorly planned response to a natural process. Trees have aesthetic and functional value (shade, wildlife, air purification, water absorption, noise reduction, privacy). Trees get old and drop branches. UI puts overhead lines up because it is cheaper than in the ground. There area couple real solutions 1) Assess the trees around the power lines and remove old, diseased limbs and trees as needed. This must be done by a licensed arborist who has the skill to evaluate the health of the tree, not the money they will make taking it down. 2) Put wires underground and leave the pole in front of each persons house, especially in areas where there are less people and more trees. Just because UI removes a tree that is 10 feet from the wire does not mean a 40 foot tree twenty feet away will not fall. This is why a careful evaluation of the area equal to the tree height is essential and the 8 foot rule is ineffective. The old method of trimming the tree around the wire and annual evaluation of tree health, with consistent pruning of dead diseased limbs, is best. You can find more information at http://www.gardenclubofnewhaven.org