Construction can cause damage to trees, but there's a way to avoid doing too much.
You can lay down mulch and plywood to prevent root damage and minimize soil compaction. You can use an AirSpade to loosen or remove soil around a tree's roots and base without damaging the tree.
For more than a year, we've been keeping an eye on a project at a church in Franklin next to a Reconstruction-era tree.
In the century and a half it has been in the courtyard at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, it has seen a lot of change. Yet, the project that started this fall might be the closest to home.
To accommodate more people, the church plans to add a second story. Demolition is underway, and while there's a wire fence around the lawn, arborists worry that's not enough to keep the tree structurally sound and healthy. The roots run beyond the courtyard.
"There would be no traffic, no materials, and no excavation within that area, and there would be signage that said Tree Preservation Zone, do not cross," said Marty Shaw.
Marty Shaw is one of only a handful of arborists worldwide who consult full-time.
The first time we met, the project hadn't started, and the tree was covered with leaves. Then, like now, I asked the church to comment on their efforts to safeguard the tree. They've stayed silent.
"If we're going to have tree ordinances that protect trees like we do in the city of Franklin, why aren't we enforcing them?" Shaw said.
Shaw does not believe historic tree preservation requirements written in Franklin's code are being met.
Franklin has a dedicated tree commission and is even considered a "Tree City" by the Arbor Day Foundation. That means the city has been recognized for its efforts to preserve trees and to increase the tree canopy.
Not seeing the strongest safeguards in place is a concern Shaw shares with long-time church member Laura Turner.
"Franklin being a TREE CITY, USA means nothing," Laura Turner said. "It's like there's no teeth in anything to protect trees. I think people take them for granted, and the significant ones are falling and falling fast."
What the City of Franklin has to say
The Franklin Zoning Ordinance has strong requirements related to tree preservation and maintenance of landscape (FZO, Chapter 17.2 Tree Protection [web.franklintn.gov]). The pecan tree is identified as a specimen tree, under the Franklin Zoning Ordinance, which requires protection as shown in the excerpts below. As such, chain link tree protection fencing that is 4 feet in height is required to protect the critical root zone, as defined in the bottom excerpt below. The purpose of this standard is to protect the roots and trunk of the specimen tree from disturbance or damage during construction, thus keeping the tree as healthy as possible.
In the case of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the pecan tree’s critical root zone was already encumbered on two sides by sidewalks that already existed, so the tree protection fence had to be placed at those existing limits on those two sides of the tree, while the tree protection fencing extends further (to the area defined in the Franklin Zoning Ordinance) on the other two sides.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at hannah.mcdonald@newschannel5.com.
Journalism is at its best when we can shine a light on an issue that needs more attention. Once again, Hannah McDonald does this beautifully by highlighting the hardships of teens aging out of the foster care system. I learned something new in her reporting and am inspired by the work I AM NEXT is doing to make a difference. I think you will be too!
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