Big Red found dangerous and cut - The Charlotte News

When the town of Charlotte lost its tree warden, the selectboard’s concern about filling the position posthaste may have seemed rushed.

In April, when tree warden Mark Dillenbeck and deputy tree wardens Alexa Lewis and Susan Smith resigned, casual observers of selectboard meetings might not have realized how critical filling the tree warden position is for a town in Vermont

Photo by Matt Krasnow.
Krasnow said Big Red’s health had been compromised years ago when its limbs were trimmed 8-10 inches from the trunk, too far from where the limb meets the tree for it to heal itself. The dark limb stubs that result are called dead man’s fingers. — Photo by Matt Krasnow. Krasnow said Big Red’s health had been compromised years ago when its limbs were trimmed 8-10 inches from the trunk, too far from where the limb meets the tree for it to heal itself. The dark limb stubs that result are called dead man’s fingers.

Former selectboard chair Matt Krasnow stepped into the tree warden position. Shortly after accepting the position, Krasnow found himself embroiled in a controversy about a large, old red oak on Thompson’s Point.

The selectboard’s concern about getting someone quickly proved to be well-founded.

The large tree, called Big Red by some, is on the leased property of Lex and Allison Birney around 20 feet from their camp home. They worried that the old tree was largely rotten, and it might fall on their home.

Neighbor JC Biebuyck objected to the tree being cut down, estimating it to be 200-240 years old and that it sequesters 1-2 tons of carbon annually.

The debate is moot now. On Monday, July 29, Krasnow issued his decision. On Tuesday, Big Red was cut down.

Biebuyck alleged that Lex Birney planned to cut the tree down without getting approval from the tree warden. But, Krasnow said Birney had contacted him as the tree warden before cutting it down.

Krasnow said that two licensed and experienced tree arborists had inspected the tree, and that he himself had assessed it. All three came to the same conclusion — that the tree should come down.

In his decision, Krasnow said he had determined the red oak is a hazard to the Birneys’ Thompson’s Point home. He authorized the tree being removed at their earliest convenience.

Charlotte and parts of Vermont have seen a large number of a flood issues over the last few weeks, with serious damage around town on July 10, flood damage in the Northeast Kingdom this Tuesday, July 30, and flood warnings again on Wednesday. Besides the increasing number of extreme rainfall events, high-wind events need to be considered, and Big Red lived on the shoreline unprotected from weather coming across the lake, Krasnow said.

Vertical Drone Shot Photo by JC Biebuyck. A drone shot of a worker cutting sections of Big Red as the tree is taken down. — Photo by JC Biebuyck. A drone shot of a worker cutting sections of Big Red as the tree is taken down.

The tree was a liability to the town, he said. All the trees on the Thompson’s Point leased lots, the majority of the property on the point, belong to the town. So, cutting trees on Thompson’s Point without town permission is prohibited. The tree warden is the person decides.

Lex Birney said cutting the tree down was not what they wanted. He scheduled the first arborist to see about having some branches cut, but when the arborist climbed up, he said, “This tree is dead.”

The arborist found a 3-foot by 18-inch rotten hole in the trunk up high in the tree, Krasnow said. After Big Red was felled, Birney said they found a huge amount of root rot below the ground.

“It was just a matter of time,” Krasnow said.

Although Biebuyck suggested cabling the tree to hold it up, Krasnow said that would not make the tree healthier. It was the tree’s time to go, it was just a question of when.

Krasnow said he is busier now as a tree warden than he was as a selectboard member.

“I’m not kidding,” he said. “It’s funny, but I’m not kidding.”