Library Tree To Be Removed

CHATHAM – An iconic horse chestnut tree on the front lawn of the Eldredge Public Library will be removed next week.

The 32-foot tree, along with a nearby 12-foot Norway maple, is scheduled to come down next Wednesday, March 27, weather permitting.

The horse chestnut, on the corner of Main Street and Library Lane, must be removed to make way for the upgrading of the circular walkway in front of the library as well as the sidewalk along Main Street. The work is necessary both to improve safety and accommodate accessibility requirements, according to officials.

The project has been years in the works, and concern over the tree contributed to its delay. Despite attempts to save it, officials say the construction work will require cutting into the tree’s roots which could weaken it and pose a public safety problem.

Saying it was a difficult decision, the select board approved the removal of the two trees in October.

A tree protection bylaw that will be considered by town meeting in May would not likely have changed the outcome had it been in place, said Dee Dee Holt of the Chatham Friends of Trees. Because the horse chestnut is a public shade tree within the right of way of a public road, it falls under a state statute that requires a hearing prior to its removal. The only difference, had the bylaw been in place, was that it would require the tree’s replacement, which the state law does not require, Holt said. Initial plans call for both trees to be replaced by new ones planted farther away from the road.

The horse chestnut, which is thought to be between 100 and 150 years old, will be cut into four-foot sections , which will be donated to the Friends of Trees to be used for appropriate projects, such as a bench. The department of public works will assist with the removal and relocation of the salvaged wood.