Urban forestry

Image from webpage on shade tree planning from South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania.

Technically, in DC it is illegal for citizens to trim branches of trees in treeboxes, in public space. I will neither confirm nor deny whether or not I have done this. I will say that there are many many many many instances, in neighborhoods and in commercial districts, where lower branches of trees are inadequately trimmed, and this impinges on freedom of movement in public walkways (sidewalks) abutting the treeboxes.

I like better how they go about it in Baltimore: training people to be judicious pruners, rather than forbidding the activity, but at the same time the city "never" gets around to necessary trimming.

From email:

Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks and the Parks & People Foundation are sponsoring a Neighborhood Tree Steward Pruning Class. We will spend the beginning of the course inside for a brief overview before going outside for hands on instruction on pruning techniques. This class is free and all are welcome to join. The details are below. If you have any questions, or wish to sign up, please contact me, Elizabeth Concra.

Date: Saturday, 17 January 2009
Time: 10AM-12PM
Place: Carroll Park - field house (directions to follow)