SALT LAKE CITY — It’s a fresh start for trees in the Fairpark area in Salt Lake City, where about 175 trees died when crews used the wrong kind of herbicide in October 2023.
"We've instituted a double-safe checkout system for herbicides, special lockboxes that only supervisors and trained warehouse staff have access to, so this shouldn't happen again in the future,” explained Toby Hazelbaker, Salt Lake City's parks division director.
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Salt Lake City working to correct mistake after poisoning 175 trees
Now, Salt Lake City Public Lands is working on a way to bring trees back to the area — but not yet planting trees directly into the soil, in case some of the herbicide is still in the ground.
"To use some temporary wooden planter boxes and bring some trees in so, we can re-beautify, re-shade the area,” Hazelbaker said.
Trees like oak, elm and sycamores are going in planter boxes where they had to remove the dead trees. The goal is to hopefully be able to put the new ones in the ground next year. But until then, they'll still have trees lining the sidewalk thanks to this temporary arrangement.
"We do really care about the Fairpark neighborhood. We want to do everything we can get these trees out there,” said Hazelbaker. “It’s a balance between waiting for the soil to clear and then planting trees. We thought it was important to get something out there to show how much care to get shade and beauty back in this neighborhood."
The city plans to have all the trees in planter boxes by the end of this year.
