This year has certainly been interesting! Interesting being a kind word for the unique challenges presented by Covid-19. While the historical society has had many unprecedented challenges we have also had many normal challenges with which to contend.
One such challenge we have faced here at Lane Place is maintaining our beautiful arboretum. We currently have close to 90 trees on our property. I've tried counting the trees multiple times and each time I somehow come up with a slightly different number. So I feel pretty comfortable saying we have at least 80 trees on our property and maybe as many as 90. Whether it is 80 or 90 is of little consequence when looking at the overall cost of maintenance, both preventative and emergency. This year we had a certified arborist come and walk the property and take a close look at the health of our trees and give us a plan on how to care for trees that can be helped while also pointing out which trees were beyond help, due to age or disease.
This fall we were awarded two Montgomery County Community Foundation grants, totaling $15,000! Of that amount, $5,000 was given towards operational support in maintaining our mission to protect and preserve Montgomery County history. While $10,000 was awarded to help with the removal of compromised trees on Lane Place property that threaten the historic home and Speed Cabin.
In the pictures below you will see the two trees we were able to remove with these funds. A Hackberry that was threatening the Speed Cabin was the first to be removed. The tree was splitting down the middle and the side that was most likely to go first was headed towards the cabin and the trees clustered around its northeast side. The tree to be removed next was a large Ash tree on the East side of Lane Place, right along the gravel drive. The upper portion of the tree was dead wood and the tree had suffered from the attentions of the emerald ash borer. Due to its proximity to the historic home and potential parking areas it was deemed another high risk tree.
The removal of these two trees is only about 1/3 of the tree work that we hope to have completed here at Lane Place over the next few years. There are several more trees that will need to be removed as funds become available, while other trees are in need of major pruning to remove dead limbs. We also plan to continue adding new trees to our property to enhance the beauty and continue the legacy of the Lane's arboretum.
While we have much work to be completed in maintaining this treasured green space, seeing our community continue to enjoy our grounds makes it all worthwhile. We are so incredibly thankful for the support of the Montgomery County Community Foundation in helping us maintain this space for our community!
Comments