A simple mistake by a Salt Lake City worker cost a neighborhood 200 trees, outraged the community.
Tony Hazelbaker, director of the city’s parks division, said the worker responsible for the death of 175 trees in the Fairview neighborhood was devastated when he realized what went wrong.
Last year, the worker sprayed Milestone, a common herbicide, at the base of the trees. What he didn’t know was that the chemical he used was designed to kill invasive weed species.
This summer, neighbors began noticing that the leaves on the trees were starting to wilt and die. The city’s urban foresters determined that Milestone was the culprit and are now working to reverse the damage on the remaining trees that are still alive.
“We’re going to try to salvage everything we can,” Hazelbaker said. ABC4.
A simple mistake by a Salt Lake City worker cost a neighborhood 200 trees, outraged the community
Last year, the worker sprayed Milestone, a common herbicide, at the base of the trees. What he didn’t know was that the chemical he used was designed to kill invasive weed species.
The dead trees were still standing Thursday, but it was unclear whether the herbicide was still present in the soil.
One possible solution to save the trees is to temporarily plant medium-sized shade trees in large planters filled with fresh soil until the soil is clear and they can be replanted, which could occur as early as autumn.
The city is currently receiving quotes on how much the aforementioned restoration effort would cost.
Pictured: Map of affected areas in the Fairpark neighborhood
One possible solution to save the trees is to temporarily plant medium-sized shade trees in large planters filled with fresh soil until the soil is clear and they can be replanted, which could occur in early fall.
“Right now, of course, the shadow that North Temple is casting has shrunk, which, especially on the west side, especially in this heat, is a sad thing to see,” Hazelbaker said.
“The area is not as beautiful as it could be. We plan to remove the trees as soon as possible.”
The Fairpark Community Council said they were “heartbroken” by the dying trees and encouraged the community to reach out if they had questions or concerns, according to their Facebook page. mail.
Fairpark has historically been hotter than other neighborhoods in Salt Lake City due to its lack of shade.
This summer, neighbors began noticing that the leaves on the trees were starting to wilt and die. The city’s urban foresters determined that Milestone was the culprit and are now working to reverse the damage to the trees that remain alive.
The dead trees were still standing Thursday, but it is unclear whether the herbicide was still present in the soil.
To address this pre-existing problem, Mayor Erin Mendenhall initiated a five-year plan to plant 1,000 trees a year on the city’s West Side.
Stricter protocols for herbicide use, including improved training for certified applicators and a fortified inventory control system involving both supervisors and warehouse staff, have since been implemented following the herbicide incident.
The city’s human resources department will handle any disciplinary action against the employee responsible for the herbicide accident, as the investigation is ongoing.
