Rare, Mature Margate Trees Often Lose Battle to Builders

margate green team trees sustainable downbeach
Sad. Really Sad. And Stupid Too.

Environmental crime scene in Margate? Those trying to preserve the last remaining vestiges of greenery in our Downbeach community likely feel this way. Quite frankly, we’re amazed that the destruction of mature trees can happen so easily.

The green team behind Sustainable Downbeach provided this recent Letter to the Editor:
 
It is with regret and great sadness that I report that a family of four was killed recently. While I did not know them personally, I do know it was a family of oaks. Having deep roots in the city, they were among the oldest living families on the island. They were cut down to make way for people who will never know the joys the oaks provided.
margate trees green team sustainable margate
Four Mature Oaks That Are No More

Mature Margate Trees Often Lose Battle to Builders & Development

Over the years the oaks provided thousands of birds with food and shelter. Squirrels have danced around the trunks and climbed their branches. Birds have come from miles around to meet, eat and sing. Sadly, they will not be able to come around anymore. Their homes have been cut down.

Neighbors will miss the birds and the music they provided for the community. The oaks also took care of their neighbor. Their mighty branches protected the house from the hot sun, helping to keep the residents cool and their energy bills down. Many who walked under their canopy were grateful for the shade they provided.

Four mature oaks once provided shade, beauty and wildlife shelter, at corner of Rumson & Monmouth Ave in Margate.

The oaks will be greatly missed by those who knew them. Unfortunately, most of them have already moved on, and the new residents will never have known what life was like under the protection of the mighty oaks. It’s a shame they weren’t allowed to continue to live there.

They were unique to the area, as the oaks have lost many family members throughout the years as the area has changed.

Not many of the old established trees are left. In their place are newer, nonindigenous trees. Perhaps the oaks were overgrown, or maybe they became diseased and needed to come down for safety reasons. Nevertheless, the replacement trees will not provide the shade the old oaks did. Nor will they be able to provide food and shelter for their fine-feathered friends like the oaks did.

It takes many years for a tree to grow to a substantial size. Something needs be done to protect what trees are left. Consideration of the value of older trees ought to be taken seriously. Also, when new trees are planted, they should be of a variety that is indigenous to the area, a species that is best suited to thrive in the local biome and support the local wildlife.

Visit Sustainable Margate

2 thoughts on “Rare, Mature Margate Trees Often Lose Battle to Builders”

  1. I grew up in that house, 1960 through 1979. I get tearing down old houses containing asbestos, lead paint and who knows what else, but those trees are beautiful and work for a living cleaning the air! I grew up with those trees, they are almost as old as me, 60+.

  2. Janice Weisman

    The last mature tree on my block of North Margate came down last year. Most were chopped down as new houses were built. This winter we saw very few birds at the bird feeder and no squirrels. The replacement trees will not provide for the future needs of such wildlife-assuming some decent growth in a number of years. It is a sad situation.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.