Mr. Harris and his neighbor Howard Stockbridge say it was probably the victim of an irate resident. Even Mr. Keene admits to getting rid of a tree that stood behind his house. Another one of Mr. Dwyer's neighbors, Gus Calabrese, says he cut a fruit tree down in an alleyway. Then there's another neighbor, now deceased, recalls Mr. Dwyer, who disliked the tree planted across the road from her home so much that she poured tar around the base, depriving the tree of water. It eventually died.
Some people think that trees are really messy and disgusting . . .
Needless to say, such sentiments typically surprise the newer residents, who cite lower heating costs and climbing property values in trees' defense. Moreover, they say, trees simply make for nicer-looking neighborhoods. Catherine Downing, for one, thinks Charlestown needs more greenery. So she's met with the mayor's office, lobbied her City Council representative, and persuaded her neighbors on Green Street to sign a petition asking that more trees be planted. To be sure, the number of trees in Charlestown has climbed in the past five years, and resistance from the townies isn't as fierce as it used to be.