A Green Mountain Power Crew clear-cut the stand of ash trees above Winter Street in mid-March. Photo by J. Gregory Gerdel
In anticipation of the inevitable death of ash trees because of the arrival of the emerald ash borer, a large stand of ash has been removed near the Winter Street entrance to Hubbard Park.
According to Parks Department Arborist Adam McCullough, the clear cutting of the stand in the power line right-of-way was done by Green Mountain Power. The concern is that the trees, once damaged or killed by the ash borer, would be an immediate threat to electrical service if or when they fell.
Because the plot of land where the trees stood is owned by the city, McCullough explained that planks were cut from the trunks of some of the larger trees for use in the future. Ash, a straight-grained hardwood, is popular with woodworkers and is used for flooring and cabinetry.
Arborist Adam McCullough cutting two-inch planks from a large section of an ash tree trunk. Photo by J. Gregory Gerdel.
