We couldn’t know how badly RIOC’s crew damaged our historic row of cherry trees on the West promenade until blossoms lifted them out of winter. After men with chainsaws hacked brainlessly away at them in late October, we could not get their full contribution to the ongoing de-greening of Roosevelt Island.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
How badly did the RIOC crew hurt the historic cherry trees?
Rushed out to the West Promenade, we found a RIOC crew busy at work, chainsaws buzzing.
“What are you guys doing?”
“Pruning the trees,” a crew member answered.
Fruit tree pruning is done correctly in spring or very late winter. This prevents damage to trees sleeping through winter, less able to defend themselves. And it’s done only for shaping them.
“Why?”
“To keep them from dying.”
But none of the trees were dying. Yet. And the crew was not doing the sealing of cut-off branches needed to protect them from bacteria, fungi or insects.
Fortunately, with aid of a resident, we stopped the destruction at that point, but the results were months away. Not until the cherry trees bloomed in spring could we see the full damage.
Battered and clinging to life
Here’s a close-up:
Cherry trees, Southpoint and RIOC’s De-Greening of Roosevelt Island
The hacking of the cherry trees came close on the heels of RIOC’s destruction of dozens of trees, wild grasses and small animals in Southpoint Park. Part of their explanation for converting Southpoint’s verdant shorelines into the Shelton J. Haynes/Langan Rock Farm was removing non-native species.
FYI: Cherry trees are all non-native species.
Is it the lack of supervision so often observed at RIOC or a managed effort at de-greening Roosevelt Island? With the state agency so deeply bunkered and under Governor Hochul’s protection, it is hard to know for sure. But the potential for future damage is huge.
more from the Roosevelt island daily news
- J and M Train Weekend Service Changes: What Riders Need to KnowJ and M train weekend service changes will impact riders for five weekends as crews replace elevated track switches. Here’s what to expect and how to prepare for modified schedules across Brooklyn and Queens.
- Coastal Flooding Disrupts Southeast Queens Streets and TransitCoastal flooding disrupted streets and transit across Southeast Queens as a fall nor’easter brought heavy rain and renewed calls for resilience and improved drainage.
- Nor’easter Brings Slow Streets and Transit Delays Across Queens and NYCAfter the nor’easter, slow streets and transit delays across Queens and NYC greeted commuters. Utility crews continued repairs as normal routines resumed Monday.
- Nor’easter Brings Flooding and Disruption Across New York CityA powerful nor’easter brings flooding and disruption across New York City, with heavy rain, gusty winds, and coastal flooding impacting neighborhoods through the weekend.
- Fatal Shooting Outside Astoria Gentlemen’s Club During Robbery AttemptA man was fatally shot outside an Astoria gentlemen’s club during a robbery attempt early Thursday. NYPD investigators are seeking witnesses and reviewing video footage as the homicide investigation continues.
What the Promenade Remembers
The light on the East River in the early morning is different from the light anywhere else on the Island. It comes in low and sideways, catching the water in long, uneven flashes. On certain days it makes the promenade feel less like a walkway and more like a corridor someone once meant to finish but never quite did. When I was younger I found the suggestion to stop and look at it faintly ridiculous.
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