Lessons From Downed Trees in NYC

A tree that is broken in half lays on the side walk on Oct. 30, the morning after Hurricane Sandy hit New York City. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)

NEW YORK—During Hurricane Sandy, many trees became victims to wind speeds that reached 90 miles per hour. Falling by the thousands, the trees left damage and, in some cases, death in their paths.

During the week of Hurricane Sandy, the city counted 9,662 downed trees on its streets and in its parks, said Bram Gunther, chief of forestry, horticulture, and natural resources for the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.

“Some trees may have been planted where they shouldn’t have been and you have other infrastructure conflicts. You don’t stop planting trees,” said Gunther, according to AP.

Various professionals have been providing solutions to the problem.

Shorter trees like hawthorns and crabapples should be planted below electric wires, said Nina Bassuk, according to AP, program leader at the Urban Horticulture Institute at Cornell University.

In addition, a soil substitute can help trees extend their roots beneath pavement so maybe they can remain balanced in high winds said Bassuk, according to AP.

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