The City of Murfreesboro Urban Environmental Department has begun Phase V of the historic downtown business district tree replacement program with the initial removal of four of the five Honeylocust trees. The final tree will be removed Monday, April 13, weather permitting. The trees are being replaced by 'Natchez' Crape Myrtles.

"The precise location of Thursday morning's tree removal was at the intersection of West Main and Maple Street in downtown Murfreesboro," said Urban Environmental Department Superintendent Kane Adams. "The work will continue over the next couple of weeks and should be completed by late April."

After the last trees are removed, all stumps will be extracted and the new myrtle trees installed. Previously, Phase IV of the City of Murfreesboro Street Tree Replacement Project had resumed in late 2014 to replace trees in the downtown historic business district. Phase VI will continue in the fall of 2015 with the planting of Lacebark Elm trees in previous phases.

"The City Urban Environmental Department wasn't able to complete Phase IV in 2013 due to unavailable size requirements and quantities of the 'Natchez' Crape Myrtles," said Urban Environmental (UED) Director Cynthia Holloway. "We are excited to see Phase V of the project resume this spring."

A landscape contractor was selected to complete portions of the Phase IV project. Dead and dying trees were removed by the Urban Environmental Department from landscape islands within the historic downtown area in anticipation of the new replacements this spring. During Phase IV tree stumps were removed and 'Bosque Elms' were planted. 'Natchez' Crape Myrtles, a flowering ornamental tree, are being installed as part of Phase V.

During Phase I, the 'Bosque' Elm was selected as the canopy tree to replace the 'Halka' Honey Locust. This tree grows into an upright oval form and unlike the Honey Locust it has very little leaf or seed pod litter.

"The 'Bosque' has exhibited incredible heat and drought tolerance and does very well as a street tree in narrow or restricted planting areas," said Holloway. "My favorite feature is its puzzle-like exfoliating bark for year round interest."

UED had to be careful to select tree species that are resistant to several diseases affecting the existing Honeylocust trees. As time goes on with more trees are expected to die, UED will continue the process of replacing the 'Bosque' Elm as the canopy and the 'Natchez' Crape Myrtle as the flowering ornamental tree. Money from the 'tree bank' fund, made up of donations and landscape bond forfeitures, are being used to replace trees and shrubs on public properties.