Update – August 15,
The Borough received funding for sidewalks along Highland Avenue and put together plans in 2006. This funding required multiple permits through various agencies and was approved for construction in the spring of 2024. The Borough had 5 trees labeled for removal and replacement at Pickering Field, that had been on the plans since the original submittal. These trees were marked for possible removal on July 2, 2024. Vito Pagano (Public Works Superintendent) and I questioned if the removal was necessary and advised the contractor not to remove any trees until Jim Doughtery (Borough Engineer) returned to the office the following Monday July 8th.
Upon return to the office and inspection of the site Jim Doughtery updated the construction plans so that no trees would be removed and advised the contractors site to prune/trim roots so that the excavation to construct the sidewalks does not damage the roots. This work was always in the scope of this project and was overseen by an arborist.
At the July 16, 2024 Council meeting, Borough Council requested the Borough contact an additional arborist to perform an evaluation and report to ensure the health of the tree. Borough staff reached out to Pete Benz (arborist) of Plant Health Solutions, Inc who has consulted with the Borough and EAC in the past. Mr. Benz is currently involved in mectinite trunk injections for Borough ash trees as recent as June this year in Riccardi Park and has been consulted for various tree issues in the Borough for years.
Mr. Benz inspected the trees at the park on July 30, 2024 and produced the below report on August 4, 2024. According to the original plan, the tree at the corner of Highland and Park was not to be removed. The arborist recommends this be removed. There was an additional tree mid-block on Highland the plans had to be removed that the arborist didn’t include in his recommendation. The other trees recommended by the arborist to be removed are the same as the plans showed.
The funding in the grant for removal and replacement of the trees was redirected to the changes in the plans shifting the sidewalk to avoid the trees further. The contractor pruned the trees and removed the large dead branch in risk of falling into Highland from the tree by the score board with the weeping canker. This tree will continue to further decline with a risk of large branches falling onto the sidewalk and / or Highland Avenue. Mr. Benz stated during the inspection these trees could decline in one year, three years, five years, or ten years and that it was difficult to estimate.
The Borough will continue to monitor the trees for decline and recommend increasing the general fund budget moving forward for possibly removal estimated cost $1,300 for removal and $1,400 per tree for replacement with 3-inch caliper trees for a total of $16,200 adjusted annually for inflation. Please note that these numbers are less expensive than average because of the larger scope of work involved in this project. These funds were originally earmarked in the grant funding but will now need to come out of the general fund when removal is necessary.
**** Please note the budget line item for “Contracted Services Repairs Parks” is used for such projects was allocated approximately $26,000 in 2024. This line item includes funding for such things as trash removal at the parks, park bathroom maintenance, tree trimming / pruning in parks and Butler Avenue, playground equipment maintenance, and mulch along with tree treatments, and removing evasive species in Borough Park. This line item was approximately $10,000 over budget for the year 2023.
Update – August 7,
Below is the arborist report on the trees in Pickering Field. The inspection and report were done by Pete Benz (arborist) of Plant Health Solutions, Inc who has consulted with the Borough in the past. This arborist is in addition to contractors on site arborist as per Council’s request. The Borough Engineer is working on information to provide Council with the best options moving forward.
If the Borough will not be removing and replacing these trees until they begin to decline further the current grant funding could not be used and these funds would need to be budgeted for the near future. The Borough Engineer will forward additional information when available to assist in this decision-making process.
Update – July 25,
The Borough has contacted an additional arborist to perform and an evaluation and report to ensure the health of the tree.
Update- July 10,
The construction plans are being updated and NO trees will be removed, the contractors will be on site to prune/trim roots so that the excavation to construct the sidewalks does not damage the roots. This work was always in the scope of this project and is overseen by an arborist.
Ambler Borough prides itself as a town with many street trees for shade and environmental benefits and would not be taking down any trees unnecessarily.
Thank you for your all of the residents overwhelming concerns regarding this issue. It is great to see the outpouring of care for trees within the community which the Borough shares.
