City releases map of 12 downtown Wilmington trees planned for removal

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The City of Wilmington has released a map showing the locations of 12 trees slated for removal along South Third Street as officials move forward with a plan they say is necessary because of safety concerns tied to tree deterioration.

The removals are planned along portions of South Third and Orange streets near First Presbyterian Church in downtown Wilmington. City officials previously said the trees, many of them aging laurel oaks, were identified as safety risks after inspections conducted by city arborists.

According to information provided by the city, staff ISA Certified Arborists conducted Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, or TRAQ, evaluations on each of the trees scheduled for removal.

Officials also clarified that the tree at the corner of Orange and Third streets catty corner to First Presbyterian Church is the only one that will not be replaced because of its proximity to the intersection. Earlier city information indicated one of the 12 trees would not be replanted.

The city said replacement tree species have not yet been selected, but officials anticipate planting large-maturing trees, potentially including live oaks, to maximize environmental benefits and aesthetics.

Officials said it will likely take decades for replacement trees to provide a canopy comparable to the existing trees.

The city said it did not seek outside assessments of the trees’ conditions, stating that relying on in-house ISA Certified Arborists is standard practice.

Earlier this month, city crews removed one tree near the church entrance after determining it posed what officials described as an immediate public safety concern.

Assistant City Arborist Ben Misleh previously told WWAY that inspections revealed significant internal decay and structural instability in several of the trees.

“There comes a point in a tree’s life where the risks outweigh the benefits,” Misleh said in a previous interview. “We don’t want to remove trees, but what we don’t want more than that is for somebody to be injured or somebody’s property injured.”

The city previously said 11 of the 12 trees are expected to be replanted during the typical planting season between late fall and early spring.

Officials have not yet announced when the remaining removals will take place.