Up a tree, to provide free TLC: Arborists prune Lincoln Park’s oaks

| Environment | West Seattle news

Mark Harman from Stonehedge Tree Experts (WSB sponsor) is among a team of professional arborists spending their morning up in trees today. Not that they don’t spend a lot of their time doing that anyway – but this day is special: It’s an early Arbor Day present to the city, with an estimated $3,000 worth of professional pruning being donated, as the arborists work to carefully prune 10 white oaks in central Lincoln Park. The participants are all arborists who get referrals from Plant Amnesty:

The organization’s dedicated to making sure people know how to properly care for trees, including the right way to prune them. Along with Harman, participants included Renaissance Tree Care‘s John Zehren, Green Tree Care‘s Patrick Storey, Symbiosis Tree‘s Kurt Fickeisen, Apical Tree Care‘s Rodger Groom and Andy Major, Out on a Climb‘s Kathy Holger and crew, The Tree Stewards‘ Erick Matteo, and Fluent Tree Pro‘s Alan Lamp.

Stonehedge’s Harman explains that they do a volunteer event like this every year in honor of Arbor Day, but since that time of year is not optimal for pruning, they have to move it up.

Ted March 18, 2011 (12:04 pm)

That is great news. Hopefully this pruning will allow a little sunlight to hit the south end baseball diamond there. It has gotten so shady there, that this field doesn’t dry out enough to be usable until mid April.

Allison March 18, 2011 (12:30 pm)

Thanks for volunteering! We all appreciate your hard work!

Susan March 18, 2011 (1:12 pm)

I am so glad to see that the trees are in such great hands. Eric Matteo with Tree Stewards took down a really tall and falling over dangerous tree in my neighbor’s yard after that huge windstorm a few years back. He was wonderful and did great work!

Mike March 18, 2011 (1:27 pm)

What a great contribution to a magnificent park. Thanks.

Diana March 18, 2011 (3:34 pm)

All of these professionals do great work and give a lot back to the community. Thank you! Mark Harman has done several projects for me and when I have an opportunity to refer him I do. The feedback has always been excellent.

Paula T March 18, 2011 (3:50 pm)

Wow! Great news for our neighborhood park and trees. A big thank you to all those who volunteered their time!

Nulu March 18, 2011 (4:01 pm)

Thanks to all of those arborists for volunteering on a such a nasty day. Lincoln Park can be an unsafe place to be during a wind storm with falling branches and entire un-maintained trees falling everywhere.
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No thanks to Plant Amnesty for belittling people and the way they prune their plants rather than spending their efforts to educate people on appropriate trees to plant.
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Of course educating about proper tree planting would cut into their lucrative business, while making fun of people who enjoy topiary does not.