Antelope Island group raises money to cut trees as public safety measure
KRISTIN HEINICHEN/Standard-ExaminerTrees surrounding the Fielding Garr Ranch House at Antelope Island State park will be removed because their decaying condition presents a hazard to the building and park employees and visitors.
Clay Shelley, Department of Natural Resources Curator, explains that five decaying Honey Locust trees will be removed from the premise of Antelope Island State Park as they might be a danger to structures and guests, Thursday, February 2, 2012. KRISTIN HEINICHEN/Standard-Examiner
Decaying Honey Locust trees will be removed from the premise of Antelope Island State Park as they might be a danger to structures and guests, Thursday, February 2, 2012. KRISTIN HEINICHEN/Standard-Examiner
ANTELOPE ISLAND — Removing dead trees surrounding the historic Fielding Garr Ranch House will ensure visitors’ safety and preserve the “oasis” look the structure and surrounding grassy area bring to Antelope Island.
The trees, some 150 years old, will be cut down and ground to the surface, with the wood chips to be used in the island’s buffalo corrals, said Jay Christenson, president of the Employees and Alumni Association for State Parks.
On Feb. 1, Christenson requested and received $2,500 from Friends of Antelope Island to contract with a tree service to remove between seven and 10 trees and trim numerous others on the ranch house grounds.
The tree work will make the ranch house more appealing by preserving its natural look, Christenson said.
“Its an oasis,” he said.
The Employees and Alumni Association for State Parks is also contributing $2,500, which it raised through a fundraiser for the project, with a requested $2,500 match from the State Division of Parks and Recreation.
“This is a partnership between three entities,” Christenson said, regarding what has become a $7,500 project.
“Taking down trees is not cheap,” said Barry Burton, Friends of Antelope Island chairman.
Because of the size of the trees needing to be removed, some with trunks so large the three men standing together couldn’t get their arms around them, Christenson said, the association favored contracting with a tree removal service.
Five trees will be removed from near the ranch house; then half the trees in the grassy area surrounding the site will be trimmed, he said.
“We’ll concentrate our efforts on the lawn that is used the most,” Christenson said.
The project will first involve removing the dead trees, some of which could drop large limbs onto the ranch house.
They will then be replaced with new trees to preserve the shade the area provides, he said.
Ron Taylor, former Antelope Island State Park manager and Friends of Antelope Island board member, said the tree restoration work is an “extremely valuable project.”
In his island experience, Taylor said, park staff would often have to clean up fallen limbs at the ranch house site. On one occasion, he said, a large limb fell, missing the historic structure by only 10 feet.
Christenson said he hopes to get the project completed by the end of March or first week of April and take advantage of the lower winter rates that tree services generally offer.
