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Residents Plead to Save East Norwalk Oak Tree; Removal on Hold After Hearing

October 14, 2025
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Ashley RK Smith

NORWALK, Conn. — A Sept. 24 public hearing over the fate of a mature oak tree at Cemetery Street and Gregory Boulevard drew a packed room of residents, many of whom urged officials to spare what they described as one of East Norwalk’s last great canopy trees.

“This oak tree is not just a tree. It is a living part of our history, our environment, and the character of East Norwalk,” Council member Anne Wennerstrand said, reading a joint statement with fellow District C representative Nicole Eaddy. “If there is an alternative to removing this tree, it must be explored.”

The oak, estimated to be several decades old, was posted for removal in late August as part of a drainage project. That posting triggered not only formal protests and a public hearing. It also sparked a petition led by the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association (ENNA).

tree petitionDownload

Community Voices: Tree as Landmark and Legacy

Residents at the hearing spoke passionately about the oak’s ecological and symbolic significance.

“They are keystone species — providing habitat for up to 950 caterpillar species, cooling our neighborhoods, and sequestering carbon,” said longtime resident Diane Lauricella. “Of all the species of trees you could cut, this one is not it.”

“This is the only mature, city-owned street tree in this part of East Norwalk,” said Sanders. “We’re talking about creating a wound in the landscape that is not going to heal within the lifetime of anyone in this room.”

City officials have defended the removal plan. Vanessa Valadares, the city’s Chief of Operations and Public Works, said the oak sits directly above the culvert where a new 10-foot drainage pipe must be installed.

“For engineering reasons, we cannot save the tree,” she stated.

Some, like nearby resident Jack Gray, pushed back: “I would like to see the state divert their drainage in such a way that they don’t have to go right through the tree.” Others raised the possibility of relocating the oak—an expensive but not impossible solution—or revisiting the street alignment.

Yet not everyone was optimistic. “This decision was made years ago,” said Jim Anderson. “Moving it five to ten feet isn’t going to save it — you’ll cut the roots. The truth is, the tree is gone.”

Paused for Now

For now, the tree’s removal has been placed on hold pending further review.

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Comments

4 responses to “Residents Plead to Save East Norwalk Oak Tree; Removal on Hold After Hearing”

  1. Mike Mushak

    I’m all for saving the tree is possible, but what I’d like to know is why the Third Taxing District planted the tree right on top of the drainage conduit that drains an entire neighborhood of East Norwalk up to Myrtle St, as well as East Ave around the new train station and wider bridge. That is their island that they have planted and maintained for as long as anyone can remember, and it’s not the City of Norwalk’s responsibility, so someone from TTD must have planted that tree without checking the underground utilities which you would think a utility company would know to do.

    So sad, because even if the tree is saved it will only grow heavier with bigger roots that could potentially collapse the conduit it’s planted on top of, flooding an entire neighborhood and East Ave which is the main evacuation route for a good chunk of the city. It’s a difficult decision to make and I don’t envy our dedicated tree warden Chris Torre who has to make that decision, as he only wants what’s best for residents, but also for the city and state engineers who are legally responsible under their professional oath to protect public health and safety.

    I guess it really doesn’t matter who planted the tree in the wrong place at this point. But considering the official effort the city goes through to avoid utilities with their tree planting, which I know as a former South Norwalk “tree liaison” who has planted over 100 trees over the last 20 years along MLK and elsewhere in our area of the city, I would guess it was the TTD and if so they should at least acknowledge this serious mistake for the record.

    So far, crickets from TTD.

  2. Priscilla Feral

    Mike Mushak’s cogent thoughts here are both mind-blowing and informed, and I appreciate efforts to spare the tree and understand the sad truth that the tree was planted in the wrong place. Do know, that it is as important to grow trees as it is to plant them. We cannot overcome Norwalk’s low tree canopy by planting hundreds of seedlings. Trees have to be watered, cared for and grown — not abandoned after planting.

    Trees are the lungs of our earth, and in this dreadful time when the Trump regime is favoring fossil fuel voters, polluters, and plundering public lands, woodlands, and forests for private profit, it’s important to recognize adult trees for what they are when they thrive against such odds. Trees are worth our struggle, and they share nutrients with other trees when there are dangers. In this case, I’d error on the side of loving and protecting trees while understanding human mistakes.

  3. Pamela Parkington

    Mike,

    Please let me set the record straight as one of the Third Taxing District Commissioners.

    1.) The Third Taxing District does not own that island, nor did we plant the he oak tree. The city does ,so consult them as to why they planted it there.

    2.) The Third Taxing District has maintained that island at our cost for over 30+ years. Why we maintain, it must have been a deal between the city and a former TTD Commission back then.

    3.) As a life long Norwalk resident that island and tree has been there as long as I can remember, maybe 50 yrs. I worked at the old Swiss Pastry from 1972-1976, I believe that it was there then.

    4.) For several years now, at least the seven years that I’ve been on the Commission, the Third Taxing District has donated funds for a free tree program through the Norwalk Tree Alliance for our Ratepayers. Every year we have given away at least 10 trees planted by the Tree Alliance paid for by us.

    In the future before making disparaging comments about East Norwalk or the Third Taxing District, please contact one of us on the Commission to see that maybe, one of us knows the facts behind what you are assuming erroneously.

    Pamela Parkington
    Third Taxing District Commissioner
    East Norwalk

  4. Dona Menton

    why is a new culvert needed if for the last 50 years one was not needed there, or if what is there currently is sufficient. The developer and city should take into cosideration the enviroment as well as the aesthetics here. Obviusly, neither developer nor city cared from the beginning. What a miss this whole developement was. It would be nice if the city chose to listen to residents once in a while rather then just giving us lip service and saying, oh we’ll look at it and then doing the same thing they origianlly planned.. I really to hope a solution can be found. This tree is truly a gem and the gateway to East Norwalk .

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