TREE CARE ADVISORY: Groundskeeping personnel at Northwest are getting a lot of calls for tree-care advice in the wake of the storm. Please note that the best source for this information is the state Department of Conservation site at http://mdc.mo.gov/forest/features/tree_storm.htm. This site is recommended by Lezlee Johnson, associate director of environmental services at Northwest and director of the Missouri State Arboretum.

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The severe ice storm that struck Maryville on Monday, Dec. 10, severely damaged scores of trees on the Northwest campus, drastically changing the face of the carefully cultivated forest known as the Missouri State Arboretum.

Associate Director of Environmental Services Lezlee Johnson, who serves as arboretum director, estimated that the campus’ tree stand suffered at least $2 million worth of damage from the storm, perhaps a third of its value.

A 30-person storm response team made up University employees from several departments is working to remove the debris. Johnson said the group’s foremost priority is to clear the campus of all safety hazards related to the storm.

“That is absolutely our first goal,” she said, “to make the trees safe.”

Of course, severe tree damage was not limited to the Northwest campus. Maryville and much of northwest Missouri are literally blanketed with downed limbs and fallen trees in the wake of the storm. 

In the past, residents have been encouraged to take such debris to the University’s chipping plant, where it is turned into fuel that is burned to produce electricity, energy that is used to heat and cool campus buildings.

But this time, Johnson said, there is simply too much wood. Citizens are therefore urged to take tree parts to an alternate collection site just south of Donaldson Westside Park along Country Club Road. The area is easily visible from the road and will be marked with a sign.

Only tree parts will be accepted, Johnson said. No dumping of construction materials or other waste is allowed.

The City of Maryville has set up similar tree material collection areas at three city parks: the Beal Park parking lot Located at 7th and Laura streets, the Judah Park parking lot at Cooper and Frederick streets and Sisson-Eek Park Located at Lincoln and Walnut streets.

Though the damage to the arboretum appears catastrophic, Johnson believes careful pruning and wise forest management practices will have a significant effect.

“Over the next two weeks we’ll be removing damaged and unsafe trees,” she said. “After that, with careful pruning, what appears to be horribly disfigured will eventually turn into a pretty darn nice tree. It’s going to take a while, but we have to methodically make pruning cuts to the trees that are left that will bring them back into shape over the next four or five years.”

Following initial cleanup, the remaining winter and early springs months will prove crucial, Johnson said. For optimum results, the pruning process must be completed before the buds start to break into leaves around the end of April.

“Our own staff is taking the lead,” she said, “but we will probably bring in additional help. It’s a pretty big job.”

No one knows yet just how much of the arboretum can be saved and how much has been destroyed. But one thing is certain. Northwest’s campus landscape will never be the same.

“We’re going to look radically different,” Johnson said, “but we’ll come back.”  

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