Large felled tree causes little to no property damage
One of the largest — and likely one of the very oldest — trees in Bellefontaine Cemetery came to the end of its natural life sometime early Monday morning, and caused plenty of discussion by pedestrians and motorists passing by the massive felled tree inside the Allison Road entrance to the cemetery.
While the weather conditions were windy Sunday evening, Bellefontaine Joint Recreation District Superintendent Kris Myers said upon examining the tree Monday, it appears the burr oak had sustained root rot and would have failed no matter the conditions outdoors.
“By the time the tree probably fell, in the early morning hours Monday, the winds had died down quite a bit,” he said. “The tree had lived its life and it was just time for it to go.
“The tree was well over 100 years old, and it also appears to be one of the largest trees in the cemetery.”
With the dramatic end to its long life, city officials also noted that at that the same time “amazingly, the tree did very little, if any property damage and fortunately for a tree of that size, did not cause any injuries to anyone when it fell.”
Myers said the felled tree might have moved one headstone, but it actually didn’t seem to have damaged the headstone. He related that upon the tree’s removal, city representatives will be able to get a better look at the headstone in question.
The city is currently gathering quotes for the tree’s removal, which will take place later this week. The felled tree has been surrounding by caution tape for the time being.
Coincidentally, approximately 10 trees also are ready to be planted in the cemetery this week through an effort conducted with the Bellefontaine Shade Tree Commission and the City of Bellefontaine.
In recent weeks, shade tree commission members performed a walk-thru to scout locations for the new trees.
“It is for exactly these reasons, the naturally aging trees in the cemetery, that we conduct this effort to plant the new trees,” member Cathy Dinovo said.