Dangerous trees

From the Lake Oswego Review:

How will city handle dangerous tree growth?

Created on Thursday, 20 February 2014 00:00 | Written by Megan Patton |

Excerpts:

How is the city of LO planning on dealing with the issue of the dangerous tree overgrowth? Truly, most of the trees along the roadways are almost laughable if they weren’t so ridiculous!

Most nice days, I enjoy a walk along the shores of the lake, down South Shore and along Lakeview boulevards. My sister and I have noticed at times PGE or other companies coming through and “trimming” some of the trees, but what you are left with are very lopsided trees, covered with ivy and/or moss, and leaning dangerously over the roads, electrical wires, cars and homes.

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The letter writer makes a good point:  When something "belongs" to everybody, it's nobody's responsibility, especially when everybody is us. 

The letter writer should know that this City Council has made a commitment to taking care of the infrastructure and the resources the city owns.  The trees on public land have been grossly ignored over the years leading to the "dangerous trees" along South Shore Blvd., and acres upon acres of ivy-choked trees all over town.  Last year the Council authorized a landscape ccompany to clean out ivy along Oswego Creek, and the list should grow to cover more territory.  But there is more to do than there is money available.  

But we don't have to wait, beg or moan about a situation that is too big for our city to manage, or manage in a time frame that would be effective.  The city needs its real resource, its citizens, to rise to the challenge to rid our town of tree ivy.  

Here are a couple of resources to get you started.  Look around your neighborhood and see where the problems are - they may even be in your own backyard.

• IvyO.U.T.  off urban trees   www.ivyout.org  Site by the Washington Native Plant Society.  Everything you every wanted to know about English Ivy and how to Rip It Out! 
• Ivy Removal Websites 
• Portland Parks and Recreation: The Ivy Files

• Clackamas County

  Phone: 503–655–8631
  Email: clackmg@oregonstate.edu
  Address: 200 Warner–Milne Rd. Oregon City, OR 97045
  Hours: 9 AM – 12 Noon and 1 PM – 4 PM, Monday – Friday
  - See more at: http://www.metromastergardeners.org/#sthash.2D9ZT7yD.dpuf
  
  
  
  
  
  Besides ivy, another invasive plant that should be rooted out is clematis vitalba (Old Man's Beard or Traveler's Joy).  You can see it draped on trees all along South Shore Blvd. and Hwy. 43 to West Linn as well as other neglected roadsides.