Lewes cottonwood owners explain its demise

My wife Karen Ricagno and I own the cottage at the corner of Savannah and Cedar in Lewes, that was discussed in the Barefootin' column titled "Demolition, trees in Rehoboth; loss of Lewes cottonwood." In the interest of fairness, I hope that you will print our response.

To begin with, we did not want to take down that large, fine-looking tree – my wife grew up in England, I grew up in New England, in rural areas filled with beautiful forests, and we are both very fond of trees, and fond of that tree. Given that background, it is perfectly appropriate for anyone to ask the question, "Then why did you do it?" Well, here is why:

• When we bought the house, our homeowner's insurance statement specifically listed the tree as a potential hazard to the cottage – it may not have been obvious from the road, but large branches hung over the house, including the entire roof and a large second-floor deck

• Those concerns were in fact, real – small branches, sometimes reasonably large ones, regularly fell on the cottage and cars in windy weather, which as anyone who lives on Lewes beach knows, happens quite often

• Worse than the branches though, were the birds – the cottonwood tree became a stopping place for thousands of black birds, whose green-brown droppings literally coated the entire property and those of the neighboring two houses. What's the problem with a little bird poop, you ask?

Here's the problem: bird feces covered the roof, windows, decks, cars, trash cans, and driveway, taking a minimum of 4-5 hours to powerwash and clean on turnaround Saturdays – and within 24 hours they were again completely fouled by droppings from the birds. Our cleaning service refused to clean the exterior of the house, stating it was disgusting, foul-smelling and potentially a health hazard. We actually had rental guests tell us they had to come in and out of the cottage with an umbrella because of the downpour of droppings from above.

Given those concerns, we were confronted with having to make a decision to do something, so we did the following:

• We discussed with three separate tree removal companies the possibility of cutting the tree back enough to keep the branches from overhanging the cottage; all three said that cutting the tree back that much would cause it to die.

• With that knowledge, we went to town hall to inquire as to whether there were any regulations prohibiting us from taking down the tree. We were told that the tree was on private property, and "You can do whatever you want with it." We did not want to cut it down, but given our choices, we wanted to make sure we did it legally and with the town's knowledge.

• We went to the two adjoining property owners to discuss cutting the tree down with our neighbors; having been subjected longer than us to the constant dropping of branches and the ever-present downpour of bird droppings, they both enthusiastically endorsed this plan of action, and gave us written legal permission for a tree removal crane to be partially erected on their properties.

So, to summarize: We 1) didn't want to take the tree down; 2) were confronted with significant and persistent problems caused by the tree, including a very real safety concern; 3) sought other, less drastic solutions; 4) reluctantly decided to take the tree down when informed none were possible; 5) did so legally, and with the town of Lewes' knowledge; and 6) did so with our neighboring property owners' agreement and firm support.

We know it was a marvelous tree, which made our decision a very difficult one, one we labored over and did not make lightly, carelessly, or hastily. We made it after seeking other solutions, and with careful deliberation. Just like you, we were fond of the tree too, and we took no pleasure in deciding to cut it down.

But we did so for several valid and substantial reasons - and we felt that you, and everyone else in the town of Lewes who appreciated the tree, ought to know what they were.

Thank you,

Stephen Groo and Karen Ricagno
Lewes