A swath of trees vanished from outside the Wasilla library. Here’s why.

Originally published Aug. 28, 2024
Updated Aug. 29, 2024

What you need to know: 

• Around a dozen chokecherry trees were cut down in front of the Wasilla Public Library in an effort to improve sightlines for drivers and protect power lines, city officials said. Chokecherry trees are an invasive species that can poison moose, they said. 
• City officials plan to replace the removed trees with a native variety in the spring, and are looking for a long-term solution that won’t cause future issues.
• The tree removal was part of a routine utility maintenance project spearheaded by the Matanuska Electric Association, which monitors and clears trees around power lines on a rotating seven-year schedule.

WASILLA – About a dozen trees lining Crusey Street in front of the Wasilla Public Library were cut down and placed in piles last week as part of a clearing project that left some residents puzzled.

The trees were removed to improve sightlines for drivers along the busy thoroughfare and to protect power lines, Wasilla officials said during a City Council meeting Tuesday. They were completely cut down rather than pruned because they were chokecherry trees, an invasive species that can poison moose, they said.

The city will replace the flowering trees with a native variety early next year, Public Works Director Erich Schaal said.

“We’ll find a replacement for the spring that will better match the location and try to get some planting back in there that makes sense for the long term,” he said. 

Wasilla Public Works crews cut down about 10 chokecherry trees on Friday and picked them up on Monday for chipping and disposal, Schaal said in an interview. The project was done at the request of the Matanuska Electric Association, which monitors tree growth around power lines, he said.

The removals sparked significant speculation on social media over the weekend, in part because the debris was left against the road for several days. A mechanical breakdown delayed their pick-up, Schaal said. 

Schaal said the line of trees was originally cut down about eight years ago, also as part of a utility tree-cutting project. The trees removed last week were "suckers" that sprouted from the roots of the previous group, he said.

“It became an even worse visibility issue because they weren’t trees that were limbed up, they were just suckers that were taller,” he said during the meeting. “It’s unfortunate that trees like that need to be removed.”  

Utility crews conduct tree monitoring and clearing in utility easements around the region on a seven-year rotating basis, said MEA spokesperson Jennifer Castro.

Trees within the easement can be removed or trimmed without landowner permission, Castro said. Easements typically measure 30 feet wide, or about 15 feet from either side of the utility pole, she said, and crews also clear trees that sit over underground lines. A map of the current and upcoming tree-trimming schedule can be found on the MEA website.

-- Amy Bushatz can be contacted at abushatz@matsusentinel.com.