Magnolia strip to lose its ficus

MAGNOLA PARK — Despite pleas from one councilman to preserve a memorable stretch of shade trees along the Magnolia Boulevard corridor, city officials are forging ahead with a reforestation plan to remove ficus trees they say caused major sidewalk damage.

The plan calls for the removal of up to 10 ficus trees along the boulevard per year.

Business owners have also criticized the cracked and raised sidewalks, pushed by the tree roots, which have caused accessibility problems for customers, especially those who are disabled.

Ficus trees along Magnolia Boulevard, considered by many to be among the city’s greatest shade-producing assets, were planted from the mid-1970s through the 80s. But parks and planning officials have come to realize that the species has inherent root-structure problems and dense foliage, which has led to sidewalk disturbance, excess leaf and fruit litter, and the blockage of business signs, said Jan Bartolo, deputy director of the Park, Recreation and Community Services Department.

Plans to methodically remove the trees were developed three years ago and supported by the council, and business and community organizations. Since 2006, 19 ficus have been removed and replaced with Chinese Pistache, Ornamental Pear and Fern Pine trees, which provide canopies of between 20 and 40 feet in diameter.

Among the city’s concerns is damage to sidewalks. The ficus are prone to surface roots, with much of their root system existing 18 inches and above, Bartolo said. Another concern to business owners is the amount of fruit litter tracked into shops and offices, which Bartolo said could be minimized with new technology.

“There’s more and more types of materials that could be applied to the trees to help stop the fruiting,” she said.

But Councilman Dave Golonski fiercely opposed the plan. He characterized the reforestation program as “deforestation.” “I think it’s a shame that we’re going to lose some of the nicest canopy that we have,” he said. “And I recognize that some of the trees needed to go because of [Americans with Disabilities Act] concerns, but to remove those trees because of the fruit that they drop, which they’ve been dropping for 35 years, I think it’s a travesty.”