THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 19, 1995 TAG: 9509190041
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
Palm trees lining Atlantic Avenue?
It's possible, though not quite the look city planners envision as they spend $41 million beautifying the resort area with brick pavers, wooden benches and tree-lined streets.
But many of the Bloodgood sycamores that now dot the busy tourist strip are withering in the salty, windy conditions. In fact, about 90 dead trees are replaced each year at a cost of $125 to $130 each.
The limited research available indicated the Bloodgood sycamore could best handle the harsh oceanfront conditions here.
On the other hand, it was believed that the Sabal palm could not survive north of the mid-North Carolina coast. But city arborist Roger Huff started testing the palm in several oceanfront spots last year, and so far they're faring well.
``Is this the kind of look we want at the beach?'' asked Huff. ``Aesthetically, does it fit into the design?''
Because information on tree survival in a maritime environment is scarce, local horticulturists are embarking on their own research. The city's Landscape Services Division and Virginia Tech will conduct a study with the help of a $4,500 grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry.
``We need to do more than continue to stick trees out there and watch them die,'' said Bonnie Appleton, a Virginia Tech nursery specialist at the Hampton Roads Agriculture Research and Extension Center. ``And I don't want to see them sticking something plastic out there.
``Finding good city trees is a big problem. Finding good city trees that are salt- and wind-tolerant is a bigger problem.''
It will be a challenge to find something that can withstand the punishing conditions at the resort strip: salt-laden air, northeaster winds, wind tunnels created by high-rise hotels, heavy traffic, car exhaust, reflected heat from the pavement, vandalism and abuse.
``It's the worst conditions in the world,'' Huff said.
Tree survival at the resort strip has not been a problem until recently. Before the Atlantic Avenue face lift began in the late 1980s, no trees grew there.
Since then, trees have became an integral element in dressing up the strip to attract tourists and their wallets. Not only are trees aesthetically appealing, they provide relief from the summer sun and help maintain good air quality.
A variety of trees have been tried unsuccessfully, including live oaks and Lombardi poplars.
Many other varieties have been ruled out - some because their branches hang too low and interfere with traffic and others because their gum balls or pine cones are too messy.
The city cannot copy what's planted in the North End resort because those trees are not exposed to the same elements, and the dune system serves a barrier to salt and wind.
Despite its poor performance, the Bloodgood sycamore, which is used extensively at Waterside in Norfolk, has outdistanced the others.
A good example of how the tree has fared is the block between 23rd and 24th streets. The trees behind the high-rise hotel are green and flourishing. Behind the low-rise Life-Saving Museum of Virginia next door, the tree is a collection of bare twigs. Across the street, in front of the shops, the trees are spindly with only a few green leaves and many brown ones.
To help keep the trees healthy, city crews wash them to remove crystalized salt after storms.
While Huff and Appleton will be testing a variety of trees in their research, they also will experiment with gardening practices like flushing salt out of the soil or adding compounds to the soil.
The duo may find that nothing works well, and they could resort to recommending using ornamental grasses or planters filled with flowers to beautify the strip.
They're not sure what they can learn from other coastal cities. Appleton has visited several before and never saw much vegetation close to the ocean. But Virginia Beach is committed to greening up the resort strip.
``Our aesthetics are so severely compromised, because trees won't grow here,'' Appleton said. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
PHOTOS BY MORT FRYMAN
Staff
City arborist Roger Huff examines a sycamore, defoliated by the
drought and salt air. The city must replace about 90 dead trees
along the resort strip each year.
Sabal palms are a hardy species.
by CNB