in 2015, before I even moved here, I planned what I would do with the nearly blank-slate lot where the house sits. Nearly blank-slate because the existing plantings were comprised of invasive burning bushes all around the front porch, a scraggly silver maple in the front yard, and a single lilac bush ‘round back. I scheduled their removal and started planning for native replacements. At our local Greenview Nursery, on sale, were a witch hazel, a serviceberry, and two thornless Skyline honey locusts. Perfect for the landscape for a little bungalow. The honey locusts were planted in the parkway by the nursery, carefully placed to avoid the utilities in the relatively narrow strip and to frame the house, plenty of room between them. They wouldn’t get too big for the space or drop messy or dangerous fruit onto the sidewalk or the street.
I took care of these trees for 10 years, fertilizing and pruning as needed. So what if the web worms came once in awhile. The resulting Baltimore Orioles that feasted on the worms were a real treat.
Derecho Damage
on DATE HERE, JUNE 30, 2024??? a storm with strong straight-line winds hit Springfield, toppling large trees and downing power lines. One of the now-20-foot-tall honey locusts was hit by a large limb from across the street and damaged. At the time we trimmed it up and didn’t think too much about it.
Plagues of Cicadas and Locusts
first came not just one but two broods of periodical cicadas. LINK HERE. I’m not sure the cicadas did any damage to the honeylocusts – if any at all, it would have been to the thinner end branches.
Spring 2025 came but the southernmost tree didn’t leaf out. The arborist from Greenview came out and diagnosed locusts borers, which are likely to infest trees that are stressed. The tree was cut down shortly after. The other honey locusts, including a new matching but smaller Skyline planted in the parkway of the lot, were still healthy. The recommendation was for watering during dry spells and prophylactic treatment against borers. I treated both remaining trees with dormant oil spray early in 2026.
City Cuts Down Healthy Trees Without Warning
Imagine my surprise to glance out my front door DATE HERE to find the City of Springfield cutting down the remaining honeylocust tree in the parkway. No warning, no consultation. The city arborist said to me, “The city owns the parkway, and we can do whatever we want. It was too close to the curb and would cause problems.” This is a tree with a 10” diameter trunk, at most. The ticket, which did have my actual address, indicated it was a maple tree.
the first cut
On January 9 (about three months ago), my neighbor across the street also had a large mature tree cut down by the city. I talked to the Public Works people who cut it down, and they indicated that it was not diseased, as the ticket specified, but healthy. It did have poison ivy growing around the base, and my neighbor had asked for it to be trimmed up, but not to be cut down.
UPDATE 20260407
Talked with Public Works Director David Fuchs, and he said the wrong tree was cut down. The work order said “South” instead of “North”. The city is planting another tree in front of my house in the parkway, assuming the underground utilities allow for it. It won’t be as large, of course.
The city Arborist also forwarded me the work tickets for both trees. The large tree across the street didn’t need to be cut down – my neighbor did indeed request “needs trimmed back from the street”, but the whole tree was cut down. The request and work order are dated August 2025, before the Arborist started working for the city.
UPDATE 20260410
City ground out the stump – and also dug up/covered over a 3×4′ native planting of Antennaria neglecta (prairie pussytoes) and Sisyrinchium angustifolium (blue eyed grass). I managed to uncover and pot up 5 of the pussytoes, which had just gotten a toehold this past year) and fortunately had divided the blue-eyed grass last year to plant some in my rose garden, so I’ll have those to propagate from in future.
When I mentioned that to the arborist, he said, “That was before my time with the city – more than six months ago.”
I chose that tree specifically because it has good street qualities: mid-sized to suit the houses in the neighborhood and the width of the parkway, nice form, small leaves not a pain to manage, no messy or dangerous fruit to fall on the sidewalk, hardy enough for an urban environment with salted streets. I purchased it at Greenview Nursery, and they planted it and its twin, before I even moved into the house.
I’m surprised that the city has plenty of money to cut down healthy trees in neighborhoods. Like we don’t have enough gumball trees that people would LIKE to have cut down? Apparently Public Works has plenty of workers to cut down and dispose of mature trees that citizens have purchased, planted and nurtured themselves – on parkways that homeowners are expected to mow and maintain.
So now I have a stump where a tree used to be. Won’t be able to plant another tree there for some years. The city says they will come grind the stump and plant another tree that I won’t have any choice about but will be expected to maintain.
I have texted my City Council member, who is very responsive and have submitted two FOIA requests, one for each tree, referencing the City code about protecting trees, CHAPTER 102. – URBAN FORESTRY/TREE PRESERVATION, particularly 102.40. – Protection of public property trees, shrubs and other plants. https://library.municode.com/il/springfield/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIXGERE_CH102URFOTRPR