Friday, June 3, 2022

As the tree pit turns

Photo by Stacie Joy 

For those of you keeping tabs on the tree pit outside 185 E. Third St., here's the latest... building management has now covered the dirt with wire mesh, which will prevent rats from burrowing in the space ... while allowing for water to reach the tree roots, etc. 

Anyway, a better approach than the first rat-proofing attempt last month: covering the tree well in cement, which would eventually kill the tree. Multiple residents here between Avenue A and Avenue B called 311, and the city removed the cement within a week.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

See now that is an anti-rat solution !

NOTORIOUS said...

It's good to have hobbies.

Anonymous said...

Sadly the rats are INSANE right there still. And in the huge rotting tree stump close by that they just decided to leave after cutting down a big tree.

seedyfilmz said...

Still quite hideous to look at

XTC said...

Glad someone took my advice and put down the wire mesh, however the concrete edging is a bit dopey and prone to loosen. A few screws instead would have done the trick.

Anonymous said...

weird gravel on top of the soil is usually enough to keep the rats out

Anonymous said...

12;59 am. The tree stump is a rats house , insane it is not same building not sure if city problem or the building should do something.Last night i could not quick enough count all the rats at the stump i got as far as 9

Anonymous said...


I Filed a complaint this morning:

https://www.nycgovparks.org/services/forestry/request/submit?tab=illegally-damaged-tree

Saturday June 4, 2022:

2nd Street between Ave A + B ::

workers put concrete on tree pits.
These trees will not be able to absorb enough water and will eventually die!
Sealing surfaces are the worst thing one can do regarding to floods, heat waves etc.
I don't know if the workers were city employees or private payed workers.
But what happened this morning is irresponsible and unacceptable.

intervalqwert@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

i live right across the street. many a nights i have seen the pack of rats running around there. so many, that by morning there are often dead ones run over in the street during the night. in addition to the tree, they also tore up the sidewalk this past weekend (6/4/2022) and repaved it. def nicer, but the rats have taken over. be careful at night walking your dog on that block.