Overview
- A large willow that had stood at the Public Garden lagoon toppled and was photographed as it fell before crews removed the tree and cleared debris from the water.
- City arborists and Friends of the Public Garden found heavy internal decay in the trunk’s heartwood even though the tree had previously been judged structurally sound.
- The fallen tree was estimated to be about 68 years old, well past the typical 30-to-50-year urban lifespan for white willow, which grow fast but have weaker wood as they age.
- Crews used equipment including a crane to extract branches and a stump from the lagoon, and officials reported no significant wind or weather that would have caused the failure.
- The collapse reinforces an existing willow master plan to remove and replace aging trees around the lagoon and could prompt more frequent inspections and targeted removals to protect public safety.