By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
As sensitive an issue as it is and as caring as the city
council has been, some of the trees in the city park will
need to be taken out and replaced before someone visiting
the park is accidentally killed or injured.
"We know what a sensitive issue taking trees out can
be," said Chad Brough, mayor. "But we are concerned that one
of the trees might come down and injure someone. Some of
them are highly dangerous at this point and it has become a
safety issue."
There are only three parks in Utah which still have
the old pioneer poplar trees. Because of that, poplar trees
will be replaced with poplars. They will be of newer
varieties which will be more disease resistant.
"We have known there was trouble with trees at the
park for the past 20 years or more," said Phil Baker, city
parks and cemeteries superintendent. "Safety issues have
become of primary concern."
The new growth on the old poplars is strong, he said,
but where the new growth is attached to the old trees, it is
weak. Heavy limbs become a safety hazard. People have been
killed in some areas because of damaged trees falling over
and hitting them.
Two years ago some trees were removed. However, said
Baker, what should have been done is that a few trees should
have been removed each year for the past several years. That
way, the new trees would have reached various stages of
maturity and the more mature would now be providing
shade.
"We have removed 17 trees and replaced them with 16
trees," said Baker. "Of the original 17 evergreen trees
planted for the pioneer families who first came to Nephi, 14
are still living. We replanted two of those last year."
Another problem, said Baker, is that the old poplars
are planted much too close to one another. They do not have
the head room they need to prosper.
This coming season, the two large trees planted near
the planned park restrooms will need to be removed prior to
construction of that facility. New shade trees will be
planted in their places.
"We have incorporated new shade tree varieties and
will be planting larger-than-usual trees to replace those we
take out so that it will not take so long for them to start
providing shade," said Baker.
In all, he said, 48 trees need to be removed. In their
place 45 new trees will be planted.
Along Main Street, the trees are planted too close for
them to be healthy, he said. Every other tree will be
removed all along the west side of the park.
"We have planned quite a diversity of trees at the
park," said Baker. "We will have maps at city hall which
will show the trees to be removed and the trees to be
replanted. Residents can come in to the city offices and
look over the maps."
"We want residents to understand that we have no
choice but to remove some of the trees," said Brough. "It
has become a safety issue."
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