,__ The Daily News, Thursday. January 13, 2000

There's more to the life of trees than you may realize


Olasee DOvis, an ecologi t, Is a
Daily News canrib"taig columnist,
He live on St Croi.

Although the landscape of the
Virgin Islands has been green since
laI last year's rainy season, it does-
n't mean weave healthy bres. Like
any other living organisms an earth.,
trees go though sss and headaches.
Pests are more prevalent now due
to damaged tres from monm. In
fact, the wet season increases disease
of trees, particulaly when branches
were stripped during stones. I am
sure you have seen dead branches on
trees hanging as you drive along the
roads. The question is who is respon-
sible for maintaining the trees along
our public reads' Of course, you
might get an arou. otasw r.
Proning is one way to maintain
trees ourpubli roads. It can serve
the following purposes:
To control the size of treca on


roads; to encourage trees to develop
its natural foram and ornamental cher-
acter, to stimulate future flower and
fruit development. To remove dead,
damaged, week, diseased or crossing
' branches and roots to minimize or
avoid the danger of personal injury,
property damage, and ensuig liabil-
ity claims by removing low-hanging,
dangerous branches, shallow roots,
and even whole trees when neces-
sary. To ensue public safety by
eliminating conflicts, intersection
visibility, and utility lines, and tree
roots lat interfere with sidewalks, as
well as sewers and utility lines.
Trees in forest areas by their very
naue adjust naturally to any adverse
weather condition. The weak trees
will fall to the natural process of
death. The healthy trees will with.
stand the Me ofsrnas.
However, trees on the roads grow
without sport of other trees next to
them. They are tossed about much


easier by winds
hurricanes than to
areas. They are s
walks, which ol
frnm spreading th
The roots of us
pated by cons
activities on roads
hit into trees sa
People hammer
signs or posters ct
far disease and ih
dug up by cor
weakening theba
branches and li


chopped IP by uncertified artborist Africa.
exposing bem to many types of pest.
Trees around us make life more The
enjoyable. Place
It has been documented that women
Dvi patients rcver from agey ne "eb
quickly when their hospital oo b ab
oftra viewof naire-of tees. fitula
____ The are social, medicinal, cultur- The
al, and venecoomic connectionsto to peC
especially during rees. mentio
ees grown in forest Because of the potential for long
murounded by side- life, trees are frequently planted as Econ
ten prevent them living memorials. We often become lndsUc
eir roots. personally attached to trees that we, Islands
ban trees am con- or those we love, have planted. higher
auction and other Maubi bark is one of our local hOmes
Vehicles on roads drinks. In my family, maiubi was I do
dipping their beak. drank traditionally after church ao efi
nails into trees for Sundays. The bark of the tree was dMO
eating open wounds also used for treating different sick.
ects. Tree toots are nesses Bush baths was another cul- ilto
itruction activities tunI benefit-after childbirth. We
se of the (te. The The boobab tree is one of many along
mbs of trees are tresonSt.oixthatcanbelinkedto tribute


baobab tree in Estate Grove
was where the hanging of
took place in 1778, known as
rn." It was also under the
tree in Grove Place that the
or union was established.
baobab tree has a spiritual link
ple of African descent, often
sed in African folklore.
amically, property values of
ped homes in the Virgin
are 5 perces to 20 percent
than those of non-landscaped

't have to mention all the ben-
:es have on our islands' envi-
it from holding together
improving air quality.
need to maintain the trees
our roadsides as they con-
to our health and enjoyment.