Officials on Tuesday approved a contract for tree pruning and removal throughout New Canaan that includes part of a plan to beautify the area around Town Hall.
The two apple and two plum trees along the retaining wall between Vine Cottage and Town Hall are to be removed. Credit: Michael Dinan
Two apple and two plum trees above the retaining wall by Vine Cottage will be removed, and work will commence to re-plant the area as per a plan from landscape architect Keith Simpson of the New Canaan Beautification League, members of the Board of Selectmen said during their regular meeting.
Representatives of the league “have some low-growing shrubs and items that are going to hang over the wall a little bit, for a very nice planting plan in the area,” according to Department of Public Works Director Tiger Mann.
“We passed [the request for tree removal] through [New Canaan Tree Warden] Bob Horan—he wanted to wanted to make sure that there was a plan in place to move forward,” Mann said during the meeting, held at Town Hall. “Once we showed him that, he was happy.”
The plan calls for the addition of a flowering plant—an evergreen shrub called “Euonymus fortunei”—to an area near the top of the retaining wall, while existing ornamental plantings will remain there.
Selectman Beth Jones said that she had looked at the posted trees and they “looked a little worse for wear.”
The board—Jones with First Selectman Rob Mallozzi and Selectman Nick Williams—voted 3-0 on a $13,278 contract with New Canaan-based Mill River Tree Service that includes the work around Town Hall.
Other work approved under the contract includes:
- Removing a dead black birch tree (543 Cascade Road);
- Reducing the height of a tall shagbark hickory behind a house at 36 Southwood Road;
- Removing white pines marked with a red dot from 52 Turtleback Road around the corner to 38 Turtleback Road South, then grinding these stumps and pruning the remaining white pines;
- Removing the sugar maple at 48 West Road;
- Removing a sugar maple at 461 West Road;
- Remove a tulip tree from main drive at Waveny Park;
- Remove a sugar maple from the north side of the West School parking lot;
- Prune 27 trees around the playground and outfield of the baseball field at Mead Park.
Euonymus fortunei is a non-native plant! Why would the Beautification League, which co-sponsored a brilliant talk by scientist and author Douglas Tallamy on the subject of non-natives taking over and destroying our environment, do such a thing. Better planning and stewardship is needed.
Agree! New Canaan is over-planted with non-natives – especially the boring ever-present boxwoods and burning bush (euonymus alatas). Some creativity and dedication to native horticulture – please.
All Euonymous are highly susceptible to Scale and need spraying in the spring and autumn seasons. The so-called “flowers” are barely noticeable.
Are all of these trees on town property? Some (for example, on Turtleback) seem to be on private property. What is the basis on which the town can remove these trees?
We appreciate and share the concern for using native plants. We believe in using native plants whenever possible or appropriate.
Another option can be found for the plantings along the wall.
Sara Hunt and Faith Kerchoff
Co-Presidents of the New Canaan Beautification League