Surrounding any tree with pavement stones and asphalt is a death sentence.
4
The Conservancy has laid off nearly 40 people, and scared off dozens more since January of this year. They no longer have an Occupational Safety & Health staff, hoping that they could simply skip it for a few years. They've publicly acknowledged a nearly $40 million operating loss for 2016. There have been sightings of scores of rats all over the park this summer in broad daylight, something that us upper west siders haven't seen in twenty years. It's sad that this once great organization has failed at proper people management and planning, but equally disappointing that the Times failed to cover the layoffs or budget problems, choosing only to laud the outgoing Conservancy president as a "hero" this summer.
5
After layoffs of dozens of staff, revelations of revenue shortfalls, and the appearance of scores of rats all over the park in recent months, this adds even more sadness to what's been going on. Where does the budget go?
2
The tree does not look diseased at all. But it seems to have been surrounded mostly by asphalt and bricks, with only a relatively small area of open earth where the root system can access rain water. I wonder if the asphalt and bricks prevented the root system from developing properly to sustain a stable base for a tree that large.
8
Only in America could someone win a lawsuit against the city for having a tree fall on them...
I guess the city's liability insurance doesn't cover "acts of god?" Can I sue the city because my window leaked during Sandy and damaged my guitar amp?
I guess the city's liability insurance doesn't cover "acts of god?" Can I sue the city because my window leaked during Sandy and damaged my guitar amp?
4
I think you are too self involved. If the amp fell out of your window and hit you walking on the sidewalk, that would be a different matter.
2
Is the city responsible for the upkeep of your window?
3
One possible cause for this tree falling may be the amount of work that has been going on in that section of the park over the last twelve months. In that span, many new trees have been planted. It's possible that all of the new planting affected the soil around the old tree in some way.
2
This is mind-boggling. That people are standing around scratching their heads wondering "How could this happen?" is staggering. Can not EVERYONE see that the paving around the tree extended up to the trunk itself? OF COURSE it is going to weaken, die, and fall! With little or no possibility of receiving nutrition and water, the tree's downfall was determined.
19
George, the tree ain't dead! In fact it could be that the tree was growing and the limited area for the roots was not large enough to support such a large canopy.
8
Thanks, BronxTeacher. My point is, when the area was paved and bricked over such that the trunk was abutted, the tree was doomed to die much earlier than it otherwise would have.
1
Thank you to the Good Samaritans who helped to reduce her. New Yorkers really know how to step up!
15
It used to be we worried about muggers....now we have to worry about trees...strange times.
6
A tree fell in the park, fortunately there was someone there to hear it.
11