A large Zelkova tree located at the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) plaza at the northeast corner of Clarendon and Tremont streets was scheduled to be removed by the city yesterday, Wednesday, June 19, for safety reasons.
A statement from the city reads in part: “After consultation with arborists, it was sadly determined that the Zelkova was dying due to restrictions to the root structure as a result of hardscape design. Seeing that this is a public safety issue, the tree will be taken down on June 19. We mourn the loss of this tree and are committed to working with the community, through outreach and due-process, to redesign/replant the plaza.”
Going forward, the city intends to work with its partners at the BCA, which manages the plaza; Banyan Bar + Refuge, which sits directly across from the tree; and the Ellis Neighborhood Association, which was instrumental in alerting the city’s arborist to the state of the tree, “to plant…the next generation of flora for all to enjoy safely,” according to the city.