Submitted by the Town of Friday Harbor

One of the 104-year-old Dutch elm trees in Friday Harbor’s Memorial Park will undergo substantial pruning due to advanced rot within a major branch. The second tree will receive more moderate pruning. Although the date and time of this project has not been announced, the Town is providing advanced notice to prepare the public for this potentially significant change. Drivers and pedestrians may experience traffic delays and are asked to exercise caution in the area once the pruning begins.

“The Town’s priority is to extend the life of these iconic trees but not at the expense of public safety,” said Town Administrator Denice Kulseth, adding, “The time is drawing near when we will need to make a very difficult decision about the future of these grand trees; we trust the public will support whatever measures must be taken to eliminate future risk of harm.”

In 2022, a large portion of one elm broke off, taking out a streetlight and completely blocking access to the traffic circle at the base of Spring Street. “We were fortunate there were no injuries or additional damage that day,” said Kulseth. Based on a risk assessment by Seattle-based Tree Solutions, Inc., the Town enlisted local arborist Gustafson Tree Care to inspect, advise, and prune the two elms since that breakage.

Questions regarding the elms may be directed to the Town Administrator at dkulseth@fridayharbor.org.