Members of the Outdoors Club at Southport Christian School recently gathered with Oak Island town staff and Tree Peace OKI to plant live oaks at the Ocean Education Center and across the street at Town Hall. Tree Peace members said they hoped to continue working with the town to replace aging Bradford pears with stronger, native live oaks. (Photo by Lee Hinnant)
Staff Writer
Members of the Outdoors Club at Southport Christian School recently gathered with Oak Island town staff and Tree Peace OKI to plant live oaks at the Ocean Education Center and across the street at Town Hall. Tree Peace members said they hoped to continue working with the town to replace aging Bradford pears with stronger, native live oaks. (Photo by Lee Hinnant)
Students, town staff and volunteers gathered recently to enhance awareness about trees and grow more of Oak Island’s namesake live oak trees.
Tree Peace OKI, students from Southport Christian School and town staff planted live oaks in the East Oak Island Drive right of way at the town’s Ocean Education Center and across the street at Town Hall. The school’s Outdoor Club advisor, Landon Perkins, said the October 19 event was a way to teach young people about ecological systems, their heritage and importance of native plants.
“It’s a way to do things I would like to see them do as field trips,” said Perkins. “And, they learn about the importance of trees.”
Mert Wray, a founder of Tree Peace OKI, said the group was not against development. Instead, they are trying to educate residents – especially newer ones – about the importance of having a healthy tree canopy. Trees provide wildlife habitat and food, serve as wind breaks, offer shade, and absorb tremendous amounts of stormwater, among other benefits.
“I just want to keep as many (trees) as we can,” Wray said. “If not, we want to encourage people to plant new ones.”
Rick Patterson, the town’s stormwater manager and arborist, said the planting was part of a larger plan to phase out aging Bradford pears with live oaks along major rights of way.
Bradford pears were the rage in landscaping decades ago because they grow quickly and cast considerable shade. The problem is, they’re not all truly sterile. In some cases, birds have spread seeds that survive but have some of the worst aspects of the species, like thorny trunks. Also, Bradfords tend to split along the main trunk, becoming vulnerable to water intrusion, pests and diseases.
Patterson said the town intends to leave the more healthy specimens, that can live 30-50 years, alone. Dying Bradfords will be replaced with live oaks, where it is practical. A healthy live oak can live 500 or more years, he said.
Tree Peace OKI, which also works with the Oak Island Environmental Advisory Committee, meets the third Wednesday of each month at 9 a.m. at the picnic shelter at Middleton Park. To learn more, visit the group’s Facebook page or email Phil Dudley at Phil.dudley59@gmail.com.
Staff Writer
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