Altus AFB removes trees for safety

  • Published
  • By Airman First Class Jeremy Wentworth
  • 97 AMW/PA
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  
People around Altus Air Force Base may have noticed construction vehicles taking down trees lately. While some are worried, there’s a valid reason for the removal.

“We had damage from an ice storm a few years ago,” said Col. Eric Carney, commander of the 97th Air Mobility Wing. “When something like that happens we focus on what can get the base sprung up the fastest. That meant we ignored the trees until we got funding allocated to remove them.”

All of the trees being removed around base are either dead or have major damage, causing either an unsightly view or a hazard once the tree starts to decay.

“The trees have already caused a lot of damage,” said Carney. “These dead trees might be your favorite shade spot, but that tree is going to fall if we don’t do anything. We’ve already had trees fall down onto cars and houses which caused some damage.”

Extensive research and examination have been conducted to ensure that all trees being removed are being done for good reason. Trees showing obvious signs of near-death such as brittle branches, improper leaf growth and rot are being removed.

In addition to dying trees, there are also plans in place to remove stumps of trees that were cut down during the ice storms
.
“We want to make the base look good,” said Carney. “We take pride in this place, we want to make it safer and pleasing to the eye.”

While trees may look like they’re alive upon first glance, experts have been hired to conduct detailed examinations of the trees on base. These experts have found faux-living trees that have a seemingly youthful appearance but are indeed dead, thus causing risks to the nearby area as they continue to decay.

This is yet another way that the Mighty 97th is keeping Altus AFB looking good and safe for everyone on base.