Well, it has been a bad year for Poplars this year. This large, quick growing tree is often planted when screening is needed in a relatively short space of time and may be found in many municipal parks and gardens; its Achilles heel is that its wood is unable to easily resist decay with the result that major structural failures are common during periods of high winds. When this happens in an urban area then it often has sad consequences, as we have seen this year. The events highlighted below are not uncommon and most tree surgeons will have their horror stories of large Poplars failing in high winds or poor weather.
Park managers, Local Authority Tree Officers and anyone else responsible for large trees of this species should seriously re-think any attempt to maintain these trees into and beyond maturity. There are many other more suitable species that could fulfil the role these impressive trees play in our urban landscape, the cost in human life is just not worth retaining this species in a crowded urban environment.
Here are some recent news stories highlighting the risk of Poplars: