City of Beaufort to remove four trees to protect other trees in Evergreen Cemetery

To protect live oaks, the City of Beaufort will ironically remove four trees from the Evergreen Cemetery, on Bladen St.

Four palm trees on the south side of the cemetery’s entrance present a threat to the live oaks they share airspace with, according to Michael Murphy, the City’s contracted master arborist.

”Rubbing of the live oak limbs on the palm trunk will eventually wear away the cambium (the part of the tree that produces new bark) on the live oak branches and cause them to die,” Murphy said in his report to the city.

Southern Tree Services examined the trees but recommended the trees not be transplanted elsewhere because of their proximity to burial sites. To dig up and preserve the roots of the tree, the hole would be about two to three times the diameter of the tree, which may disturb nearby graves, Thomas Hunt, who did the examination, told the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.

Instead, the four palm trees will be cut down and their stumps ground down.

Southern Tree Services will perform the four removals for the town.

The City’s Park & Trees Advisory Commission agreed with the decision to remove the palm trees. The work is scheduled to be done beginning April 22, the town said.