To a century-old Tulsa neighborhood, its trees are symbolic of its history and resilience. They are part of the community, and the residents will defend them when they are threatened.
Tulsa Heights homeowner Chris Arnold did just that when he made it known to neighbors via social media that a tree was damaged during a city-led sidewalk project.
“FYI, they are trimming tree roots with an excavator for the new sidewalks,” he posted on Facebook.
“Why do they keep doing this?” resident Paige Flores asked. “Not only do we lose the trees, but it’s very dangerous if someone is driving by or walking by when the trees fall over.”
Resident Debbie Bartlett Robson replied to Flores, saying she knows from experience after a tree fell near her house on North Denver Avenue two years ago. The city had completed repairs on a sidewalk in 2019, cutting through a root system of one of the original trees planted on the street, she said.
“Within the next couple of years, the tree began showing signs of distress,” Robson said. “We had multiple arborists and tree trimmers out to assess and they advised as to how to trim, etc in order to try to save the tree. We spent several thousand dollars working with them.”
Arnold raised the flag when he saw damaged tree roots in front of The Parish Church of St. Jerome. He told The Oklahoma Eagle the tree will likely die because the roots were ripped apart by machinery.
“So all of this right here was actually ripped off with an excavator,” Arnold said, pointing to an exposed, jagged tree root. “It’s just haphazard. The roots will not grow back unless they are underground and flush cut.”
The fate of already damaged trees is sealed, but the neighborhood wants to keep it from happening again.
“As a resident, one of the things we all value is the green space in our neighborhoods,” said Rev. Joshua Shawnee, pastor of St. Jerome. “We ask that the contractors and employees of the city be respectful of neighborhoods and communities in Tulsa, protecting and cherishing them as if they were their own, instead of obvious disregard.”
The root trimming is part of a $2.2 million City of Tulsa street rehabilitation project funded through the Improve Our Tulsa capital improvement program. The program includes making sidewalks compliant with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), according to city spokesman Carson Colvin.
The city acknowledged resident concerns in a statement to The Oklahoma Eagle, saying they directed the contractor, Crossland Heavy Contractors, to take additional precautions to avoid further impacts and minimize disturbance to tree roots moving forward.
“City inspectors are actively monitoring the work to ensure these measures are followed,” the statement said. “Protecting the tree canopy in this historic neighborhood remains a priority.”
Colvin said he is unsure if either of the city’s two arborists were consulted on this project.
The city said it will work with residents and contractors to limit impacts to neighborhood trees. Residents can call 311 if they have questions or concerns about trees near their property.
