Page One

Editor: 

An urban tree emergency is rapidly developing. Many of the trees that were planted a century ago have developed problems in their old age. They need to be taken down safely before they come down unexpectedly and do extensive damage. 

I suggest that there should be an organized and systematic effort to identify, prioritize, and anticipate the trees which are likely to come down. 

The annual conferences and the Tree Failure Reporting system of UC Co-op Extension have been a good first step about the problem.  

Tree diseases are killing different kinds of trees. Old dead trees should be taken down promptly. One park agency contracted with a tree removal firm that did the job just for the wood. This might be done on private property in the cities. 

Skilled woodsmen know how to make trees fall a so they will do the least damage. Climbing trees to take them down is slow and dangerous. 

The necessity for this tree harvest cannot be ignored. 

Charlie Smith 

Berkeley