Highland Park Faces Decision on ‘Big Pecan’

The more than 150-year-old monarch known as “The Big Pecan Tree” has entered irreversible decline, an arborist says.

Micah Pace of Preservation Tree Service expects Highland Park’s 75-foot-tall landmark monarch to continue to develop deadwood, lose canopy, and pose at least some risk to those who pass near it.

“It could persist in that state for decades,” Pace said. “The question is: Is that what we want?”

The choices facing the Town Council start with whether to remove the tree preemptively under controlled conditions or wait and do so in response to some episode such as limb or trunk failure.

“I’ve found it depressing, watching it decline,” council member David Dowler said.

Council members haven’t set a timetable for deciding the future of the tree, located in the median of Armstrong Parkway near Preston Road.

Pace said removal should involve a respectful transition process, including a celebration of service for the tree to help residents cope with its loss.

“It’s served the community a longtime,” Pace said. “I’m not trying to sound all green and Californiaish.”

An adjacent large tree, about 100 feet away, is believed by some to be related to the landmark pecan. Pace sees that as a viable “successor” that could be the focus of the annual December tree lighting.

“The problem with the successor: It’s in the wrong place,” Dowler said. The historic pecan sits at an entrance to the town.

“If it does come down, it needs to be replaced with something comparable or better,” Dowler said.

Pace said bringing in an appropriately-sized transplant would cost $200,000.

Dowler suggested doing a fundraising campaign to pay for such a project. It could be a memorial for philanthropist Margaret McDermott, who died in May.

Mayor Margo Goodwin suggested an alternative: converting the area where the monarch stands now into McDermott Plaza or Park, a place where residents could gather to watch the lighting of the other tree.

Share this article...
Email this to someone
email
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

William Taylor

William Taylor, editor of Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People, shares a name and a birthday with his dad and a love for community journalism with his colleagues at People Newspapers. He joined the staff in 2016 after more than 25 years working for daily newspapers in such places as Alexandria, Louisiana; Baton Rouge; McKinney; San Angelo; and Sherman, though not in anywhere near that order. A city manager once told him that “city government is the best government” because of its potential to improve the lives of its residents. William still enjoys covering municipal government and many other topics. Follow him on Twitter @Seminarydropout. He apologizes in advance to the Joneses for any angry Tweets that might slip out about the Dallas Cowboys during the NFL season. You also can reach him at [email protected]. For the latest news, click here to sign up for our newsletter.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.