On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:52:20 +0000, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:47:52 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:40:59 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:32:15 +0000, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

Next up - a 60 foot chestnut.

You wouldn't be thinking of cutting down an American Chestnut, would you?

As a matter of fact, yes.

It's dead. Or in the last throes of dying. The trunk split in a wind
storm this year - it's definetly dead, done, dying.

Well, I thnk it is. Maybe I should have the Extension Center at UCONN
come and look at it before I remove it.

I didn't realise they were that rare - I've got two of these things
the yard next to the house with the runaway tree.

And I'm pretty sure they are American Chestnuts.

Where I used to live, you have to go to the permit department where
building permits and the like are issued and request they send someone out
to inspect and determine if a tree can be removed. I have nicknamed this
person the "Tree Fairy", because if it's his whim of the day, he will sign
a permit allowing you to remove the tree. This enables you to buy a permit
to remove the tree.

Then he will give you a list of recommended replacement trees that are
acceptable to be used to replace said tree and provide a list of approved
providers of these trees.

Before you place the purchased tree in the ground, he must come by and
check to make sure that the trunk is straight enough.

Our first selection wasn't up to his standards so we returned the tree and
got one that he eventually approved and I promptly planted it in a place
that wasn't visible from the street.

I called for a final inspection twice and no one came out to inspect the
planted tree.

The bark became girdled around the trunk ;-) and I was able to dig it up
and dispose of it as if it was a shrub and take it to the local reclaim
center where brush is shredded and composted so residents can go for free
mulch and composted soil after they provide a current water bill.

The free mulch that I retrieved at that point had cost me $200.- not
including the cost of the initial tree that I paid to have removed. What
a bargain. (note sarcasm)

I will never have to call the "Tree Fairy" again because gratefully that
was the only tree in the yard and we still own the house.

Because I think this is a local tradition, I won't mention the location
because it may awaken the "tax appraisal god" that may seek revenge of
this disclosure to the outside world.

I trust you'll understand.