Politics & Government

Centuries-Old Teaneck Tree Coming Down Next Week

Efforts underway to clone historic Teaneck oak tree

Crews will remove Teaneck’s centuries-old red oak tree at Cedar Lane and Palisade Avenue Monday morning, a Bergen County official said Friday.

Work will begin at 9 a.m. and force the temporary closure of Cedar Lane in both directions near the tree, said Jeanne Baratta, chief of staff at the Bergen County Executive’s Office.  The process is expected to take most of the morning.

Meanwhile, a team of academics is working to clone the 250 - 350 year old tree after taking cuttings from the massive oak this week. About two feet of the tree’s stump will be left at the site to sprout other trees if the cloning efforts fail, according to county officials.

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The county, which maintains the tree through a conservation easement, will also build a chain link fence around the stump for up to two years to protect the sprouts, according to the county’s tree plan.

A section of the tree’s central trunk and ten sections of major limbs will be given to the Puffin Foundation for “commemorative purposes and use by artists, craftsmen,” the plan states.

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“The County’s contractor will return at a future date to cut cross section slabs for the Puffin Foundation and Teaneck. Additional cross section cuts can be made at that time, if there is an interest in same,” the plan states.

Trees cloned from the oak will be planted in Overpeck Park, in consultation with the Puffin Foundation, and offered up for planting in Teaneck, according to the plan. If the cloning plan doesn’t work, the county will give Teaneck 25 young red oak trees.

The massive oak . The report pointed to dangers posed to passing motorists, pedestrians and congregants of property-owner Netivot Shalom, which has a children’s play area below the large tree.

An independent expert hired by the Teaneck-based Puffin Foundation ultimately concluded with the county’s analysis of the tree that it could present a safety risk.

Residents have long fought to preserve the massive oak and the town council bestowed historic status on the tree months earlier.

Related News: 

  • Experts Agree Centuries-Old Teaneck Tree Should Be Removed
  • Massive Oak Becomes Teaneck Historic Site
  • Weinberg to be Honored for Saving Centuries-old Teaneck Tree

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