The Fresno State grounds department removed about a dozen Modesto Ash trees that were considered to be safety hazards or dead near the corner of Cedar and Barstow avenues by Margie Wright Diamond during summer break.
The trees, popular in residential areas for the shade they supply, were more than 20 years old when they were removed and “at the end of their youthful life,” said Mike Mosinski, grounds manager of the Fresno State grounds department.
The Modesto Ash trees were found to be “susceptible to disease and pests,” Mosinski said.
Modesto Ash trees are short-rooted and caused the sidewalk along Barstow Avenue to lift, which caused safety hazards for students riding scooters or skateboarding on the pavement.
The trees’ falling limbs were also considered a hazard.
Mosinski said his grounds team wanted to replace the trees with a different kind of tree — the Chinese Pistache — but when they started doing the work, they discovered a waterline was blocking the area where they planned to plant the new trees.
Josh Pickett, a fourth-year Fresno State student, rides his skateboard to and from classes along the sidewalk on Barstow Avenue. He noticed something missing during a recent commute to campus.
“It’s a lot clearer now,” Pickett said. “It’s a lot nicer to get to class, so I understand why they took them down. The whole area just generally looks a lot nicer.”
Other students miss the Modesto Ash trees. Melinda Luehrs and Hailee Hussion, both sophomores, were disappointed to see the trees gone when they returned to school this semester.
They both appreciated the shade the trees cast over the sidewalk.
“At 8 a.m., the sun is shining in your face,” Luehrs said, adding she hopes the trees will be replaced in the near future.
The university plans to replace every tree that has been removed from campus with new, young and strong trees, Mosinski said.
The grounds department said anyone who sees a broken sprinkler head or a broken tree branch should contact the main office at Plant Operations at (559) 278-2373.