This Tuesday evening, March 8th, Ms. Jan Townshend from the Prince George’s County sponsored Neighborhood Design Center will speak during our monthly MCA Board Meeting.
The Montpelier community has been chosen to be in a pilot program to evaluate the Bradford Pear trees. As the trees have matured, many of the large limbs have become too heavy and have broken. This program will evaluate the trees for possible removal.
Come and find out more about the program. Our meeting begins at 7:00 PM at Deerfield Run Community Center. All Montpelier residents are welcome. Ms. Townshend is scheduled to speak at 8:00 PM.
I had one tree removed, b/c it died. I have another one that is on its way out.
I am interested in the process for getting the one that was removed replaced, and having someone come and assess the current one I have.
I enjoy having the shade, but since the county owns the easement, I’m concerned about what my rights and limitations are. Is there a form that has to be completed before it can be replanted.
Since I’m talking about gardening, I’m also wondering what happens to all of the bagged leaves that are gathered in the fall. Those leaves should have now been composted and turn to mulch. I’d be interested in knowing where this mulch is located and if there is a process by which I can go pickup some that can use in my flower beds.
Just trying to be an environmentally-responsible citizen. (smile)
Thanks in advance for any information that can be provided,
Mark M.
Silverbirch Lane
Kelley A. Oklesson, Project Coordinator for Neighborhood Design Center, 301-779-6010, koklesson@ndc-md.org, sent the following e-mail to Bob Derrick:
Bob,
I met with your HOA March 8th to discuss your community’s participation in the Bradford Pear Pilot Replacement Program. I have reached out to the community members via Montpelier Online. Councilwoman Mary Lehman (District 1) has been forwarding me any questions and concerns she receives from citizens. I have been responding to every email from a concerned community member.
The contractors are scheduled to start removal on April 4th. They will most-likely start in the Andover Heights portion of the sub-division (Claxton, Portsmouth and Imperial). I am suggesting to the contractors to start in Andover Heights to allow your community more time to contact me if they are concerned about removal of trees. If you could please get the word out about the removal date I would greatly appreciate it. You can have people contact me at koklesson@ndc-md.org or 301-779-6010. I would love for individuals trying to reach me regarding a tree(s) to leave me their address and a contact number.
As mentioned in my presentation, only the dead, dying and high risk trees will be removed. If a community member is absolutely opposed to having their trees removed and live on one of the streets I outlined on the Bradford Pear Blog as “streets of most concern” (https://montpelieronline.org/?p=838) they should contact me immediately. I am willing to discuss specific removals with people, but if a tree is diseased, poses a safety risk , dead or dying then the tree will be removed. Thank you for your time and especially your community’s participation in the program.
Kelley A. Oklesson
Project Coordinator
Neighborhood Design Center
301-779-6010
6103 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 102
Riverdale Park, MD 20737
I, too, like the trees along our Montpelier streets. I hope that we will be able to replace the pear trees with something that is just as pretty, but without the problems. Personally, I also hate the smell of them when they are blooming!
As far as your question regarding the composted leaves, I went to the county website and found that the composted material is sold to commercial operations. However, there is a “Mulch Giveaway in the spring, usually in April, to provide an opportunity for citizens and residents to receive free mulch. The mulch for this event is derived from the Christmas trees that are collected or dropped off for recycling. The Mulch Giveaway is held in conjunction with Earth Day and is just one of the many departmental programs. For more information and specific dates for the next Mulch Giveaway, check the local paper, County website, local cable station or call the Recycling Team at (301) 883-5045.”
Tuesday nights are bad for us, I’m sorry I won’t be able to attend. I, too, would like to better understand what rights we have in terms of removing or planting trees in the easement. Please post how the meeting goes!
And thanks for the great website, it really looks great! I hope the swim team can also add a page.
Krisa
Eastbourne Ln.
I would prefer to keep my two Bradford Pear trees until the time is appropriate for them to be removed — namely, when they start dying off or experience a breakage that damages the tree severely enough where removal makes the most sense.
Bradford Pear trees really do need a proper pruning about every 3-5 years (my father worked at Behnke Nurseries in Beltsville for 40 years and has significant experience with these trees). From what I can tell, the only pruning any of the Montpelier bradford pear trees have received is either by nature or by the county possibly having come in once or twice over the years to remove limbs jutting too far out in to the street so as to inhibit traffic….Just my two cents.
Hello,
*I sent this to the Yahoo group before realizing the email asked that comments be left on this site, so I am reposting my Yahoo note here. Sorry for the duplication.*
I was hoping to attend the meeting this evening to hear about the pear tree plan but was unable to make it. I hope that a description of the pear tree plan will be shared with the group in the near future (versus waiting for the next newsletter) so that we can provide our input on the plan, prior to the decision being made.
Some thoughts off the top of my head…
– I agree something needs to be done about the pear trees as they give little warning before a branch/tree falls. I am quite nervous driving under them in rain or wind.
– Will tree removal be voluntary?
– Will a variety of tree types be replanted? We need to avoid planting all the same tree species again as they would all reach their life span at the same time (as has occurred with the pears) and would be suceptible to pests, etc. Though the look of a single species street is nice, it can be a recipe for trouble.
– Will homeowners have a say in replacement tree species?
Thank you in advance.
Julie
Shadetree Lane
Hi all,
my name is Kelley Oklesson and I work for Neighborhood Design Center as Project Coordinator for the Bradford Pear Pilot Replacement Program. We recently gave a presentation to the Montpelier Community Association a week or so ago regarding your community’s participation in the Bradford Pear Pilot Replacement Program. I see many of you have great questions and valid concerns about the tree and the program. Thanks ahead for being so active in your community!
The Bradford Pear Pilot Replacement Program consists of 3 phases; risk assessment, removal and replacement. A risk assessment has been completed for Montpelier and Andover Heights. The assessment is of Dead, Dying and High Risk Bradford Pear trees. The assessment was completed by myself and Mr. Wayne Lucas (DPW&T), both of us are ISA Certified Arborists.
*****Only the dead, dying or high risk Bradford Pears will be considered for removal.
The powerpoint I used in my presentation will soon be available on the Montpelier website. The presentation gives a brief history of the Bradford Pear, the genetic defects, risks associated with the tree, information about the program and a list of replacement species.
The streets of most concern in Montpelier are:
Montplelier Dr. (near entrance of 197)
Royal Ridge La (near entrance of Cedarbrook Ln)
Crystal Rock La
Ivory Pass
Crestmont Ln (southern side of road)
Granite La
Gramercy La (near entrance of Oxwell Ln)
Cedarbrook La (near entrance of Muirkirk)
Briardale La
Barclay Pl
Mount Pleasant Dr (near entrance of Briardale)
If you have a house on one of these streets and are concerned about the removal of a tree, please contact me at koklesson@ndc-md.org.
******As stated before only Bradford Pear Trees will be removed (crabapples may be removed on a case by case basis), they must be dead, dying or high risk. We will not remove a healthy Bradford Pear tree unless it poses a risk to the health or property of the community.
Since removal will start April 4th please contact me asap. I will post again when replacement species will be selected. Thank you!