Conflicts with gray infrastructure spell doom for green infrastructure's oaks; Midgeville, GA

Baldwin Bulletin: "Big Oak trees around downtown on the chopping block
05/14/09
Chris McKearney
Ten downtown oak trees soon will be cut down and removed by the City of Milledgeville.
Each of the 20-something-year-old water oak trees is located in downtown’s commercial district on Hancock or Wayne streets. Milledgeville Mayor Richard Bentley said that the oaks are “the wrong kind of trees” and “not urban friendly.”
“They tend to cause damage to the infrastructure and the aesthetic value of the sidewalks,” Bentley said. “Those leaves also are notorious for causing clogging and draining.”
The City will replace the older oak trees with younger elm trees, which are described as “more urban friendly.”
Justin Jones is the chairman of the Millledgeville MainStreet board and also a merchant at J.C. Grant Co.
“From a merchant’s standpoint, those trees are pretty. But, those big oaks tear up the infrastructure,” he said. “I’m still a firm believer that if you cut down a tree, you re-plant one in its place. The elm trees they’re planting will grow to be a pretty good size. It will just take a few years.”"