Many homeowners don’t know that parking strips (the area between the sidewalk and the street), like sidewalks, are public-rights-of-way. Although homeowners are obligated to maintain them in specified ways, their use of them is severely restricted under the municipal code.

At first glance, these restrictions may seem arbitrary, but they are, in fact, essential to maintaining the borough’s crucial green infrastructure:

its publicly owned trees. 

This issue of GReen Flash is, therefore, devoted to the don’t’s, the whys, as well as the insteads of parking strip protocol.

The reasons why trees should not be removed or relocated from the parking strip are obvious. But what’s the harm in a pruning? What most people (and, significantly, most landscapers) don’t realize is that pruning a tree requires skill and training.



Tree branches must be surgically removed where they attach to the trunk (the branch collar). Otherwise, the tree can't "seal" the wound properly, thus providing a conduit to decay and infestation.

The young street tree pictured below has been “topped,” evidently by a clueless landscaper.

In other words, it has been pruned like a hedge, presumably to keep it smaller and, therefore, less risky. Ironically, this pruning makes the tree far more of a risk in the future and jeopardizes its survival.

To compensate for the lost canopy, the tree rapidly accelerates “sucker” growth, spindly branches (as seen in the picture above) that are only weakly attached to the tree. These branches are more likely to fall in a storm and the top-heavy tree more likely to uproot.  



Instead, use the Tree Service Request form on the town’s website to request a tree inspection and pruning.

Gas lamps are, of course, supposed to light the sidewalk. But from the sidewalk, the gas lamp pictured is entirely hidden by the 8 overgrown arborvitaes planted on the parking strip many years ago, clearly without thought of how grossly problematic and inappropriate they would become. Indeed, the gas lamp wouldn't be visible at all were it not for the DPW's persistent pruning.

Put simply, not all trees are suitable street trees. When a tree is planted by the town, a great deal of thought goes into which species of tried-and-true street tree to plant.

Trees planted by homeowners, however, are generally ornamental landscape trees, characterized by low branching and pouffy shapes that intrude on the sidewalk and hamper sight lines at corners. Too often, they are also invasive species, such as Japanese maples and even rose of Sharon. Moreover, they are generally planted with little regard for utility lines -- as is the case with the arborvitaes -- not to mention the streetscape.

But like the arborvitaes, by the time the tree/shrub becomes an expensive problem, the homeowner who planted it is long gone, meaning it's the taxpayers who end up footing the bill for needed remediation.

Instead, contact the Shade Tree Commission at shadetree@glenridgenj.org and request that a tree be planted.

DON’T Make Mulch Volcanoes or Use Too Much Mulch

A layer of heaping mulch tends not only to encourage surface roots, which can strangle the tree, but can also hold too much moisture (think wet rag on a hardwood floor), triggering fungal growth, root rot, and pest infestations.

By the same token, when the thick mulch dries out, it sheds crucial water away from the tree. Worse yet, when the mulch decomposes, it becomes almost unremovable cement-like compost that can heat up and literally “cook” the roots. 

Instead, put a donut shape of mulch – no more than 3 inches thick -- around the tree, keeping it at least 2 inches away from the trunk. 

Or better yet, tell your landscapers that’s what they must do! Homeowners are, after all, held responsible for the actions of those in their employ.



DON’T Allow Any Plantings to “Impede” the Sidewalk

“Walkability” is a factor of prime importance in any community. Therefore, it is understandable why the municipal code prohibits plantings over 6 inches in height to impede the public sidewalk.

The reasons are clear. A blocked sidewalk can’t be properly maintained. Snow and ice can’t be fully removed.

Even under ideal conditions, pedestrians can lose their footing

attempting to circumvent it – especially after dark.

Unfortunately, in most instances, the current homeowner did not plant the bushes, trees, or shrubs that are creating the problem. Nonetheless, these instances are such an obvious

threat to public safety that no grandfather clause can excuse remediation.

In this case, there is no instead.

Some more obvious but important "don'ts" include:

• not using nails or wires to fasten items to public trees,
• not cutting or disturbing roots of public trees (contact our arborist before starting any sidewalk repair) and
• not spraying chemicals on public trees or using noxious products, such as rock salt, near their roots. 

In other words, parking strips must be maintained in such a way that no public tree is purposely or inadvertently interfered with or damaged. With the help of homeowners, and their conversations with landscapers and lawn services, Glen Ridge street trees will get the protections they deserve.*