Happy Earth Day! West Chicago removes 11 downtown trees

In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best day to chop down a bunch of trees.

West Chicago crews removed 11 trees along Main Street Thursday, which also happened to be Earth Day - an "unfortunate coincidence," admitted Rob Flatter, the city's director of public works.

The trees were all either dead, dying or showing signs of decay because they had grown too big for their parkway planter boxes. And they will all be replaced with "younger, stronger, healthier trees," Flatter said.

The tree removal Thursday had nothing to do with recent emerald ash borer findings in West Chicago, Flatter said.

Like many communities, West Chicago has limited space for its downtown trees, so they are planted in "tree vaults" about 5 feet wide and 4 feet deep. But there is only so much room for the roots to spread, so trees planted in vaults are replaced every 10 years. The trees removed Thursday were "pushing 15 years," Flatter said.

The new trees will include smaller maples and Chanticleer pears - not fruit trees, but named for their pear shape.

In all, West Chicago is planting 151 trees this year throughout the city as part of its forestry maintenance program. Of them, 31 are replacements.

"I know it's Earth Day and I know trees are being removed on Earth Day, but we've been removing trees for the last two weeks," Flatter said. Planting of new trees will begin soon.

And in fact, the timing could have been worse. Arbor Day is April 30.