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Fort Worth: a city hidden by trees


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#1 johnfwd

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Posted 21 July 2016 - 07:39 AM

Please allow this whimsical observation from a native Fort Worthian.  I guess back in the Depression dust bowl days, Fort Worthians emulated Oklahomans and Kansans in planting trees...to block that devastating wind, of course.  Now the trees have grown so tall that they block the view of much of our city.  The effect is that some of the new building developments are hidden.  This notion sounds crazy, but anyone driving a car around town can notice this, if he or she is observant (or view John's skyline photo on this website with a different perspective).

 

I call Fort Worth a "hidden city."  Maybe that has contributed to our inconspicuous image in the past.  Funny, but if all the trees were cut down, you'd probably be astounded by the number and size of Fort Worth's buildings.

 

Of course FW isn't the only city hidden by trees.  The further east of Dallas you go on I-20 or I-30, the trees start to look bigger.  Trees in Mississippi and Tennessee, for example, dwarf our own trees.  In my view, one of the most hidden of cities is Vicksburg.



#2 Doohickie

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Posted 21 July 2016 - 10:34 AM

I've noticed this when driving on I-30 and I-20.  A lot of the vistas look almost like it's uninhabited forest but they are full-on suburbia.  If you cross Granbury on I-20 and look south, the hill behind Bicycles Inc. looks like a green ridge, but it's all filled with residences.


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#3 RD Milhollin

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Posted 21 July 2016 - 01:59 PM

I am good with trees, lots of trees, in the urban environment, for a variety of reasons. Living in an urban forest is more healthful and comfortable than living in an urban desert. It is great that residential property owners plant and maintain trees to the extent they do. I have several small trees in buckets that I have dug up out of my yard when just a few inches tall that have grown to several feet. I would be happy to give these away to any list members who need trees for their own yards. I have lived at my present house for about 15 years, and when I moved in there was a ratty Minosa in the front and in back an overgrown fruitless pear, a huge Hackberry gone wild growing out of the back fence, and an Arizona Ash that had been abused by the power line maintenance folks. I now live in a forest of Live and Red Oaks, a couple of Pines, a Chinese Pistache and a Mexican Plum. Over time I have trained the Ash through judicious pruning to grow upward rather than out, and is now an excellent platform for rope climbing practice. The Pistache came home with me on a bicycle from an Arbor Day celebration and is now about 35 feet tall. The shade from these trees protects the lawn from excessive sun burn and helps the house stay cool in the afternoon with minimum air conditioning necessary. The Oaks in the front shade the sidewalk. Urban trees... bring 'em on.



#4 David Love

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Posted 24 July 2016 - 09:21 AM

I'm a big fan of tree planting, yet there seems to be an alternate mindset that believes they and they alone are best qualified to define which varieties are allowed to thrive in North Texas. I was pleased to see the recent requirements of “cut down” permits in some North Texas cities and counties. Which only made sense since they required “planting” permits, I thought it was a bit backwards.  Long dead thread on this very topic buried here somewhere.

 

I’m more a fan of old growth native trees or the ones they tend to cut down only to replace with short lived petite ornamental varieties.  I firmly believe one or two mature trees can add 10k or more to the value of a house, and a neighborhood lined with mature trees bumps it up a few notches in the desirability rankings of those in the real estate business.  


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#5 johnfwd

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Posted 25 July 2016 - 01:44 PM

I certainly applaud tree-planting whatever the variety (except for Mountain Cedar...my allergies!).  My initial post was meant to be more an observation about Fort Worth buildings than an opinion about trees.  Maybe if I just said I think we should have taller buildings so people can see them above the tree tops and know they are there...



#6 renamerusk

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Posted 25 July 2016 - 02:52 PM

April, after a long winter has ended, is the time that I get goosebumps traveling southbound along Houston Street and emerging from the Worthington Hotel Houston Street to witness the lush ground cover and tree canopy in Downtown.  It is just beautiful and makes me appreciate the dividends of trees planted over the past 20 years.






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