NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — New Orleans Parks and Parkways Director Michael Karam held a news conference on Thursday, Sept. 7 to provide updates on the city’s live oaks after a second large tree fell.
Earlier this week, an oak tree fell near Stuart Hall School for Boys on Tuesday, Sept. 5. A woman was injured, a car was hit, power lines were downed and the river-bound lanes of Carrollton Avenue near Spruce Street were closed.
Within twenty-four hours, there were three incidents involving oak trees. Michael Karam, Director of the Department of Parks and Parkways says even though they have not determined the exact causes. It could be a combination of several factors.
“Heat drought and twenty-five-year rain event. I do feel it is an anatomy given the circumstances. The environmental circumstances. There are a number of other stresses our trees encounter,” says Karam.
The tree on South Carrollton Ave. was last inspected in July and August after it was hit by a truck.
Due to the recent weather, we’ve been experiencing, the normal routine for city arborists will change starting with alertness.
“Being aware that we potentially have more stresses to look for as arborists. More alert of the change in environmental conditions, so that when we are doing our inspections we are looking for additional stress factors,” says Karam.
Attorney Morris Bart filed a lawsuit against the city earlier this year on behalf of the Cristia family. Their 16-year-old son was injured by an oak tree that fell in Jackson Square.
The lawsuit points to text messages that appear to acknowledge the city knew the tree needed to come down. Bart also says the city needs to pay more attention to what’s going on.
“How many tree failures does the city need to see before they realize it’s not an anomaly and we have a crisis on our hands.”
Bart adds there is more to this lawsuit than text messages that will soon come out,” says Bart.
The New Orleans Parks and Parkways Department is responsible for managing, maintaining, developing, beautifying and preserving the city’s over 2,000 acres of green spaces, which includes two major parks, 200 smaller parks and squares, neutral grounds and over 450,000 trees.
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