Barnstable residents upset over Eversource's tree removal efforts

There is an issue stumping Barnstable residents, and it has to do with the massive tree removal efforts by Eversource.

The company has been working with private land owners to remove hundreds of old trees in a scenic part of town.

Power lines along Route 6A in Barnstable are the reason why so many trees are being taken down. Eversource has been involved with clearing some of those trees, working with private homeowners. However, others in town say it shouldn't be happening.

"Well, it looks awful to be honest with you," said Joe Berlandi, president of the Barnstable village association.

Berlandi, an attorney, has lived in Barnstable Village for 14 years. He began to notice a tree-clearing campaign that began in February and wrapped up earlier this month.

150 trees along Route 6A are gone - dried up stumps are all that's left.

Berlandi says this happened between Route 132 and the Yarmouth town line.

"Clearly it changes the visual image of old King’s Highway, which is one of the most beautiful highways in this country," said Berlandi.

Berlandi says the problem is that there's nothing to replace the lack of trees, while Eversource says its priority was to remove hazardous trees that can break and disrupt service.

The company also claims many of the trees are in decline due to drought or insect infestation.

Ann Canedy, a former town council member is another outspoken critic of the tree clearing.

"We put these sidewalks in, we regulated the trees," said Canedy. "The trees are important canopy."

The trees run along a historic part of Barnstable where aesthetic changes are closely regulated by the Old King's Highway Historic District Committee.

"The Old King’s Highway (committee) has purview over people’s paint colors over their roofs, over their material they use in their houses, I don’t know why trees are not included in that," said Canedy.

An Eversource spokesperson said the company has a hearing set with the Old King's Highway Historic Committee next month regarding another 76 trees.

In a statement sent to Boston 25 News, an Eversource spokesperson said:

"As part of our commitment to reducing tree-related power outages, we work closely with town officials and homeowners to remove dangerous trees near our lines, many of which are in decline due to insect infestation or drought. We only need to look at the current tornado damage in Connecticut, or the March storms here in Massachusetts, to realize the severe impact trees can have on safety and electric service reliability. On private property along Route 6A in Barnstable Village, our staff arborists received homeowner permission for the approximately 150 hazard trees we removed, and will attend a hearing next month before the Old King's Highway Historic District Committee regarding our proposed removal of 76 trees located within the road layout. As we've done numerous times in the past, we fully intend to work with the committee and the town to replace these dangerous trees with suitable species that are compatible with our lines. We started removing the 150 private trees in February and finished up in early May, with the exception of one large spruce tree that requires a crane. Understandably, our work was interrupted by the March storms. Unlike with privately owned trees, the historic district committee has jurisdiction over trees that are in the public way so we have to go before them for the remaining 76 trees.

Cox Media Group