Loving Bush Park to Death? Assessing Risks to the Oaks

Over on FB, discussion about felling yet another large Oak in Bush Park revealed that the Mission Streets Parks Conservancy has published an independent assessment and report on the state of the Oak trees in the Park. With the Art Fair and its traffic right around the corner, it's a timely subject.

A new report on the oaks at Bush Park

The report concludes, "The main threats to the health of the Oaks at Bush’s Pasture Park come from damage done to the soil by human activities," and offers several recommendations on irrigation, debris and mulch, and managing traffic and activity on and near the root zones.

Several recommendations

It was also interesting to get reoriented on mistletoe. The parasite should not be removed, in turns out; its retention provides habitat for several species of birds.

If you are interested in the natural history of Bush Park, it's worth checking out.

Not at all related to Bush Park, but very much to our general approach to trees, it was interesting earlier this month to notice the young Oaks on South Commercial at Firehouse Crossing, just south of Hilfiker. (Here's a streetview from 2016, shortly after they were planted - they are much smaller!)

Young Oaks under the power lines
on South Commercial at Firehouse Crossing
(Hilfiker and Commercial)

But very soon they will encroach on or interfere with the power lines, and they also seem a little close to the exterior walls of the buildings. There's not really room for full-sized, mature trees here.

This does not seem like a very good instance of matching tree to site. More shade here would be wonderful from street trees, but different varieties might have been better - especially if these do not turn out to be some kind of dwarf Oak variety!

Commercial Street badly needs more trees, but this seems like a missed opportunity for lasting and healthy trees.

Addendum, July 27th

Front page today.