HELENA – Arborists spent Monday morning cutting down old elms outside of the Original Governor’s Mansion in Helena to reduce the risk of damage to the historic building.
According to Arbor Medic, a company based out of Bozeman that specializes in trimming and grooming trees, the elms are becoming hazardous to the historical building due to their location and height. The trees are also at risk of being blown over in a storm.
If one of the large elms or a limb fell on the building, it could cause irreparable and/or significant damage to the historic structure.
Cody Tarver, foreman for Arbor Medic, said removing the trees eliminates risk to the mansion, despite the historic value of the trees.
“It’s deemed by the society that overlooks the property that it’s better off to go this route and do preventative maintenance, instead of potentially doing some historical interventions due to a limb or litter falling on the mansion,” Tarver said.
He added the Montana Historical Society may plant smaller trees that do not grow as tall after the four elms are removed.
-Reported by Christine Sullivan/MTN News
