All eyes were fixed on Wes Gore’s every move Tuesday, April 14. Residents of South Harbor Island’s Live Oak Drive followed each cluster of foliage as it fell to the ground. They then turned their gaze upward again as the Asplundh tree trimmer calculated his next cut with the assistance of Duke Energy arborist Duane Dickinson.
Dickinson’s laser pointer landed on the exact spot where a long-handled circular saw would take the next piece from the stately oak, one of three left in Duke Energy’s directive to trim back limbs hanging near power lines. Dickinson’s presence was part of the utility’s agreement to be more mindful of how its crews do their jobs.
Neighbors were intent on preventing the aesthetic damage they say was inflicted on other trees on the shade-rich street, and to ensure the company abided by an agreement settling a dispute over the scheduled tree trimming.
“We feel we have to be here,” said Live Oak Drive resident Francine Streich — just so the man in the bucket truck knew they were watching.
Gore said the audience didn’t bother him so much, but trimming so near to the power lines made him a bit nervous.
Precision was important to these residents, who fought hard to preserve the natural shape and aesthetic of the oaks. They’ve seen the L- and V-shaped trees that line Market Street, Eastwood Road and other major corridors, and they didn’t want that happening to their canopy.
“We understand the need to protect the power,” said Walt Laughlin, who was watching since the crew set up Tuesday morning. The cuts started around 7:45 a.m. on a third tree residents were not expecting to see trimmed further. Three hours later the crew was still at it, pausing between each cut to check the shape of the tree and determine how to save as much as possible of each limb.
This was not standard procedure. Dickinson estimated that taking it slowly “easily doubled” the time needed to trim a tree. But after residents balked at further cuts until Duke Energy agreed to meet with them, the company sent Dickinson and another arborist to talk with the neighbors, examine the remaining two trees and show them how they would make the last cuts.
“They’re clearly being very careful,” Laughlin said.
Live Oak Drive resident Colin Eagles wasn’t so sure. To him, it looked like the trimmer took more than originally promised. The best he could say was it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
“If Duke was not a monopoly, I wouldn’t do business with them,” he said. “But summer’s coming, and I’ll be running my air conditioner.”
Residents hired a master arborist to meet with Duke’s representatives, just to make sure the integrity of the trees was the primary focus. The Apex-based arborist tied pink ribbons around branches to show where the cuts should be made. But while discussing the next series of cuts with Gore, Dickinson said he didn’t think some of the limbs needed to be trimmed even as far as the residents’ arborist indicated.
The residents know trimming crews don’t often spend that much time on each job. There are so many power lines, so many trees. They know Duke Energy will send crews back in a few years unless a satisfactory alternative arises.
Soon the utility will send representatives to discuss some possible solutions, including the feasibility and cost of raising power poles well above the tree line.
“Hopefully, that will be successful and we won’t have to go through this anymore,” Laughlin said.
Neighbor Richard Olson noted most communities dislike seeing trees hacked into unnatural shapes. He said it’s time to revisit the industry’s trimming guidelines.
”The cutting standards are too radical,” he said.
email [email protected]
