Union and West End Cemetery

Arbor Day will be celebrated on April 27, 2007. To honor this occassion, the City of Allentown's Parks Department has issued a call to all tree nurseries and tree management services in the area to volunteer their time and talents to assist the historic Union and West End Cemetery. The intended purpose is to remove diseased or damaged trees (most are well over 100 years old) from the cemetery. Tree removal is one of the cemetery's most expensive maintenance items. The cemetery usually raises only enough funds to remove three trees a year, at best. This fall, the Parks Department removed three additional trees from the cemetery at no cost. The Tree Service firms that answer the Parks Department's call for assistance, will also be donating their services.

It is anticipated that as many as ten trees may come down in the month of April. There is some apprehension about removing this many trees at one time, but they are generally in widely different areas of the cemetery and hopefully the impact will not be great. When opportunity knocks, one can not turn their back, but must take advantage. Monies that would normally go to tree removal will now be diverted to planting replacement trees in the cemetery.

The first tree was removed on Monday, April 2nd by Mike's Lawn Care. The tree was located very close to the fence near the corner of 12th & Liberty Streets and posed a danger to passing pedestrians, wires, cars parked at the curb, etc. Photos of the tree removal are shown below: