Trio of Large Oaks to be Removed from Taylor-Brawner Park

The City of Smyrna reported on its Facebook page Tuesday that three trees will be removed from Taylor-Brawner Park as early as Thursday because they are no longer healthy or have already died.

Two trees, a Southern red oak and a post oak, that sit in front of a Brawner Hall have already died, while another Southern red oak on the perimeter of the park is declining.

“Well, it’s showing signs of stress,” said Gretchen Musser, the City of Smyrna’s arborist and a former member of the Smyrna Tree Board, a local committee that advises the mayor and city council on tree conservation, “If you look at the canopy of the tree a lot of the canopy has started to die back from the tips and that’s called tip dieback. And that can be from several different environmental factors.”

Musser attributes the decline of the trees at Taylor Brawner primarily to drought, but said that construction impact and changes in drainage patterns may also have been factors.

“That area definitely has changed uses over the past few years,” Musser said. “Grading was done. They’ve had some big equipment in that area. They changed some drainage patterns. And all that makes a difference on the existing trees, especially large trees like that.”

Jennifer Bennett, Smyrna’s community relations director, explained that certain species of trees don’t thrive around human contact. The post oak is one such tree that would normally thrive in an isolated forest environment.

The oaks being removed from Taylor-Brawner Park were there long before the park was developed in 2005. The city is uncertain how old the trees are, but estimate that they are between 70 and 110 years old.

Although three trees are being removed from Taylor-Brawner, the City of Smyrna Smyrna plans to plant 40 trees and shrubs along the park’s walking paths, playground equipment and around Brawner Hall in the fall. The open field in front of Brawner Hall will remain a free space.

The money to purchase and plant the trees will come from the Smyrna Tree Bank, a fund set up to provide developers an alternative to tree density requirements. According to a city ordinance all developers must maintain a tree density of 100 inches per acre. This means that the diameter of the trees in an acre of the developed land must equal at least 100 inches.

“That could mean three or four 25-inch diameter trees or many three- or four-inch caliper trees,” Musser said.

If developers are unable to comply they may donate money to the Tree Bank. The money from the Tree Bank is used exclusively for maintenance, education and for planting trees on public sites within the city.

The ordinances pertaining to trees in Smyrna were revised in April 2008. Some Smyrna residents don’t think that the city does enough to promote tree growth.

A frequent commenter on Smyrna-Vinings Patch, “Eggsnotbacon,’’  wrote Wednesday: “100 plus year old trees the mayor and council are allowing to be cut down on the corner of Powder Springs near the community center. The new bike trail on Spring Road has zero trees or bushes. That is where all the bushes from the S. Cobb Road shopping center could have been saved and then planted. Our mayor and council need to use our SPLOST money more wisely. Creating a cement bike trail with no shade does not encourage anyone to use them. Hire someone that can spread the money further and greener.”

Musser explained that Smyrna’s tree ordinances are always being modified and encouraged concerned citizens to get involved in efforts to improve the community.

“I know some of these renegade citizens just want to get up and complain,” Musser said. “And I understand frustration, but you need to come up with some solutions, too, and play a part. Some of these people that are complaining quite a bit, they could be joining the Tree Board and help us make some progress. We’re trying, but we could certainly use more members.”

The Smyrna Tree Board is comprised of a committee with a representative from each of the city’s wards who is appointed by that ward’s council member. At this time there is no committee member for Ward 2, Ron Newcomb’s district.