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Evansville tree board approves removal of dozens of hazardous trees, plans fall replantings
Summary
The Evansville City Tree Advisory Board approved a large list of structurally weak or dead trees for removal in parks and rights-of-way and signaled plans for fall replantings and neighborhood plantings funded by city grants and the Salt Waste District.
The Evansville City Tree Advisory Board voted Aug. 1 to approve a large list of structurally weak and dying trees in parks and public rights-of-way, citing public-safety hazards and a backlog from years of reduced parks staffing. The board recorded the motion and voiced unanimous assent during the meeting.
Board members described the removal list as unusually large because parks had been without a full crew for a couple of years, producing what one member called “basically two years’ worth of work” to address deadwood and hazardous trees. Speaker 3 told the board, “a lot of those trees were just very hazardous to the public,” and commended parks staff for identifying priority removals.
The board approved an additional site-specific item for 1421 Jackson that had not been included in the main packet; the request was moved and seconded and carried by recorded voice vote. No members recorded formal opposition during the proceedings.
Board members and staff emphasized plans to replant following removals. Speaker 3 said the board hopes to do “some replanting this fall” and try to “balance out the losses” with replacement trees. Speaker 4 said the board aims for higher planting ratios in future reports and expects to present a list showing replacement goals at an upcoming meeting.
The board also reiterated that some quasi‑governmental entities operating inside city limits have memoranda of understanding to comply with the city tree ordinance, while INDOT (Indiana Department of Transportation) does not have an MOU and operates under state authority for highway rights-of-way. Speaker 4 said the state’s current plan for US 41 had been rejected by board reviewers and that the board would work with neighborhood representatives to propose an alternative planting and removal plan.
The board moved on to other agenda items after voting to approve the removal list and the additional property request. The meeting closed after routine final motions and an adjournment vote.
