A towering, well-loved willow oak in Ashton Heights came down today (Monday) to make way for a new single-family home.
The downfall of the tree at 502 N. Jackson Street came despite the efforts of many nearby residents, who posted messages, poems and letters of protest on the oak’s trunk in recent days.
A representative for the lot’s developer, Ten Penny Homes, told ARLnow that any effort to redevelop the current home built in 1923 would be impossible without cutting down the tree. However, advocates say the tree’s removal is a significant loss for the neighborhood and emblematic of larger, county-wide problems.
“Everyone’s really hot about it, because she was a specimen. She was a gorgeous, gorgeous tree,” 40-year Ashton Heights resident Elizabeth Reed told ARLnow. “The branches … [were] the size of trees, like normal trees in the neighborhood. They’re huge. This tree was enormous. It is just upsetting.”
Former residents planted the tree decades ago to commemorate their marriage, Reed said. Neighbors estimate the tree to be about a century old — around the same age as the accompanying Jackson Street house, which is slated for demolition.
Today, the structure stands in disrepair and has been abandoned for about a decade.
Ten Penny Homes representative Robert Cole said the decision to cut down the tree “was not arrived at quickly or without consideration.”
“After consulting with multiple arborists and a land use engineer, it was established that the root system of the willow oak was far reaching and shallow (they can branch out up to 2-3 times the size of the canopy), and any land disturbance activity would most certainly kill the tree,” he wrote.
Reed acknowledged there may be valid reasons to remove the tree, particularly if builders intend to dig a basement. Overall, however, she believes the county should be doing more to protect trees like this one.
“We love to talk about our canopy and our notable trees, and there’s nothing preventing you from cutting them down,” she said. “These developers come in, and they clear-cut an entire property.”
In most cases, the county does not require permitting for tree removal on private property. Trees on public and private property may receive protections from the Arlington County Board if designated as a heritage tree, street tree, specimen tree or memorial tree.
The process requires residents to submit a descriptive report on a tree of interest and its significance for further approval.
Some County Board members have signaled an interest in strengthening the county’s lot coverage requirements, but it’s unclear when any changes might come into being.
“In the first quarter of 2025, the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development will participate in the County’s proposed budget deliberations and is anticipating further discussion at that time on this year’s planning work program, and whether it may include a study on lot coverage and related matters,” a county representative told ARLnow.
Scott Sklar, president of the Ashton Heights Civic Association, told ARLnow he is aware of the tree’s removal and subsequent protest. He said Ashton Heights has seen a significant reduction of trees in recent years, and that the county’s current regulations are not conducive to tree protection.
“We’re just seeing these things willy-nilly knocked down, and it’s painful,” Sklar said. “The county, frankly, doesn’t have a standardized approach on [preservation].”
Part of Sklar’s role as president entails educating builders and homebuyers about the assets of older trees that are threatened by removal.
“Builders come in, either for building new homes or even renovating homes, and the first reaction they do is, knock out the big trees,” Sklar said. “I understand, you know, if it’s right next to the building and you’re working on it, you have to do it. But the perimeter trees at the front of the house, on the road or on the boundaries — there’s no reason for it.”
The AHCA has been in favor of county tree canopy preservation for decades, Sklar said. A well-kept canopy buffers noise, reduces pollution, contributes to wildlife and aids with storm water retention, he added.
The county released a report in November appearing to document a slight growth in the county’s tree canopy over the past decade. However, this increase was credited to the growth of existing trees, rather than the planting of new ones.
The report was the subject of doubt and criticism from local nature advocacy groups. A 2023 independent study funded by some of these groups showed a decline in Arlington’s tree canopy, rather than an increase.
