Crotch Trees in Middle Georgia????

During a recent Bibb County Commission Town Hall Meeting I expressed my concern about the danger of allowing "Crotch Trees" to flourish with out regard to the potential danger these trees pose to the citizens who travel the Streets and Roads in our area.

This tree is at the intersection of Tucker Road and Twin Oaks Drive. The tree is in the Northeast quadrant of this intersection. A close inspection will reveal that the center section of the tree crown has been removed to allow utility lines to transmit energy to the homes in this area.

The unfortunate aspect of this type of thinking is that when the limbs become dead, and some on this tree appear to already very unhealthy; they just may fall on any vehicle that happens to be passing at an inappropriate time. Not very pleasant if you are the person in the vehicle that happens to be struck by the falling tree or branch.

I have personal experience in this regard. Fortunately, for myself and my family the falling tree only did $6300.00 worth of damage to our vehicle in the late 80s or early 90s as we traveled on Rosa Taylor Blvd during a storm. None in the vehicle were hurt, but we were scared.

I still have vivid memories of that event. Then, also in the 90s, as I traveled to work one evening I observed all manner of flashing lights on Forsyth Road in the area just West of Wesleyan College only to later to learn that a falling tree had taken the life of a person who was traveling at the wrong time and was struck by this falling tree.

Yes, my dear readers, these type accidents do happen. It would appear to me that if a tree is in poor health that the appropriate procedure would be to remove it and replace it with a young tree properly sited so that it does not grow up under a utility line. My thinking may be faulty, but then again, I have always been proactive, rather than reactive. My Dad always taught me that it is much more effective to have secure stable doors on the horse barn and keep the horses inside versus repairing the barn door after the horse got out. But then, some think that I was raised wrong.

One of the examples I cited during this same Town Hall meeting was the lovely Cherry Trees that had been placed under the utility lines on Northside Drive in West Bibb County North of the Fickling Farm. These young trees were placed there so that in a few years they may replace the maturing Cherry Trees that are showing signs of aging. A great concept, but more Crotch Trees in Waiting.

When I was younger and experienced dental health problems I never met a Dentist that did not recommend "root canals" for teeth with defective interiors. Yet we have citizens here in Bibb County that feel that it is totally incorrect to replace an old defective tree which could possibly take some unfortunate citizens life with a young tree in a timely manner. But then, maybe the individual/s who own the tree in the above picture could acquire a certified Tree Surgeon to replace the dead pulp which this tree has. Who knows the cost and would it be effective? The Flower Child does not know. One thing the Flower Child does know is that it is much more effective and also more cost efficient to plan ahead. By replacing defective and dangerous trees now, we have the potential to enjoy real beauty in the future.

Thank You!!!!