City of Darlington Tree Board approves City Code changes
The City of Darlington Tree Board approved changes to the City Code for tree planting during its August meeting.
The updates to Section 90-65(a) nearly doubled the number of tree species listed as preferred from 31 to 59 varieties. The ordinance change reflects the need to remove invasive species and encourage planting a greater variety of trees.
The City’s consulting arborist Sylvan Cities provided the list of trees that are expected to perform well in the area. The selection of a tree for planting should still consider site conditions such as soil type, available root space, available growing space above ground, sun/shade, intended purposed as well as the tree’s characteristics and expected maintenance requirements.
Notably, the list removes Bradford pear trees, as they are set to be banned statewide Oct. 1, 2024. The City planted more than 200 Bradford pear trees in the 1970s, of which about 87 remain on city streets, not counting those in private yards. Last December, the County removed the Bradford pear trees from the Courthouse grounds, and the City purchased new trees to replace them.
For information on how you can combat invasive plants in your community visit the South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant website at https://www.se-eppc.org/southcarolina/ or send an email to southcarolinaeppc@gmail.com.
