RIP Janne Schaefers

Information via the EVG inbox... 

It is with profound sadness that the East Fifth Street Block Association announces the death of Janne Schaefers. 

Janne was the central force of the East Fifth Street Block Association for many years. Her association with the BA began with the trees that now line East Fifth Street between First Avenue and The Bowery, for which she is solely responsible. She was also the driving force behind all substantive efforts by the block association. 

She spent countless hours at Community Board State Liquor Authority Committee meetings advocating for residents on and around East Fifth Street. She organized community protests that resulted in major agreements with large businesses, garnering substantial commitments to the quality of life for East Fifth Streeters and the elderly residents of The Greene Residence. She was also involved in the protest and eventual closing of Sin Sin, an intensely disruptive rogue bar (and location of a murder) located on the southwest corner of Fifth Street and Second Avenue.

Janne was a fighter. She worked hard for our block, the trees, and the quality of life she expected for herself and her neighbors. If you knew her, we sure hope you were on her right side. If you weren't, well, you weren't the only one! 

As Spring approaches and the budding canopy of trees blesses East Fifth Street for another year, take a moment to enjoy them and give thanks to the tough old gal who brought them to us.

Claim: City cuts down tree on 5th Street after block association receives permission for pruning

A stump is all that's left of a 50-plus-year-old flowering Callery pear tree outside 339 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

According to a member of the East Fifth St. Block Association Tree Committee, the group hired (at a cost of $500) an arborist who pruned the tree — with the approval of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation... "cutting off worrisome branches to maintain safety." 

Several weeks later this past Thursday, "a crew from the Parks Department arrived early in the morning and chopped the tree down before anyone was up to notice," a tree committee rep told us. 

"As it is, the Parks Department has turned the previously lush old trees on Fifth Street — watered, fertilized and tended to by our tree committee — between Cooper Square and First Avenue into grotesque Edward Gorey-like silhouettes by their over pruning. We are devastated," the committee member said. "Our arborist told us that weakens the trees and will shorten their life span." 

The city hasn't shown much passion or sympathy for local trees in recent months.

Photo courtesy of the East Fifth St. Block Association Tree Committee

A warning about sitting on these tree guard railings on 5th Street

An update on the ongoing campaign to keep people and squirrels from upsetting the eco-system of this planter on Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The Urban Tree Guard Etiquette Sign asks that people refrain from sitting on the tree guard railings ... because the tree guards are coated with grease to keep squirrels from digging in the planters.

In response, someone placed a "More Humanity Towards [sic] Animals" sticker on the sign...



It's not immediately clear if the sticker is in direct response to the sign... or perhaps just randomly placed. (A "More Humanity Toward Pants" sticker might be appropriate. Grease stains are tough, though not impossible, to remove.)

As previously reported, this tree guard is within the East Fifth St. Tree Committee boundaries.

A morning look at the tree damage; 'the East Fifth St. Tree Committee is devastated'

[Photo from 6th and B via @artisanmatters]

Here's a Snowvember-morning-after look at some of the downed limbs and trees that remain on East Village streets... yesterday's wet, heavy snow proved too much for the trees that still had leaves intact...

12th Street west of Second Avenue (thanks Laura)...



St. Mark's Place near Third Avenue (thanks Lola Sáenz) ...





Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue suffered considered limb losses... the East Fifth St. Tree Committee took stock of the damage...









In total on the block, four trees lost limbs. "The East Fifth St. Tree Committee is devastated," a committee member said via email.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updating] Snowvember pain: Multiple reports of trees down

The East Fifth Street Tree Committee helps expedite removal of these downed branches

There are several reports of downed tree limbs in the neighborhood these past 18 hours or so with the rain and strong winds ... starting on Fifth Street near Cooper Square, where two large branches fell yesterday afternoon, landing near the Standard East Village.

Per the EVG inbox: "The East Fifth Street Tree Committee was on the job and contacted the Parks Department immediately." There weren't any injuries reported.

Meanwhile, there were reports of a small branch down at the entrance to Tompkins Square Park at Avenue A ... and a limb fell across Sixth Street near Avenue B.






Previously on EV Grieve:
The East Fifth St. Tree Committee back in action

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee is alive and well, and they do not mess around

And now, a word from the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee reveals its policy about carts

Summer begins with random bags of soil and a note from the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

East Fifth St. Tree Committee takes action after downed limb strikes car

A reader passes along word that a large branch — "assumed to be broken off by lightning" — fell on top of a car on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square.

The downed branch was spotted by a member of the East Fifth Street Tree Committee, who notified the FDNY. Firefighters, who happened to be on the block responding to a reported gas leak on the block, removed the tree parts that had covered the car.

The Tree Committee member contacted the Parks Department, "who quickly sent someone to take photos and assured the block residents that the tree parts would be removed by morning."

On this Urban Etiquette Sign, grease is the word

Goggla spotted this Urban Etiquette Sign on East Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

"Do Not Sit on the railing of the tree guard. Your weight bends the planter holder.

As a deterrent the railing has been coated with grease."

To which someone responded, "You are a freak."

You are in the East Fifth St. Tree Committee territory here. Please act accordingly. And keep your butt off the tree guard!

Reminders (1st of 17): MulchFest — or TreeCycle! — is this weekend in Tompkins Square Park

[Photo Monday by Bobby Williams]

MulchFest 2016, TWO action-packed holy days of obligation in the blogosphere, is happening tomorrow (Saturday!) and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Tompkins Square Park.

Per the Park Depo on what to do: Please remember to remove all lights, ornaments and netting before bringing the tree to the Park. Bags will be provided if you wish to take some free mulch home or, as we like to do, place between our cheek and gum like Skoal.

Also, this is important: Please remember to remove all children from the trees as well.

As you can see, several trees were discarded yesterday in Tompkins Square Park with the children intact, as these photos by EV MulchFest Associate Editor Steven show...





Oh, we're joking. The kids actually took cover here from some Post reporters.

Also, if you can't make MulchFest (lazy!), then the NYC Department of Sanitation is continuing special curbside collections for mulching and recycling of Christmas/holiday trees through next Friday.

And finally (finally), a reminder on East Fifth Street that may be a clever imitation of the East Fifth St. Tree Committee...



Previously on EV Grieve:
This year's TreeCycle event left mulch to be desired, at least before it started

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee is certainly not pleased about this

There was some drama today on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square.

The story goes something like this.

This morning, workers arrived to remove a dumpster that had been on the block for months. We're a little sketchy on details, but apparently a resident yelled at the driver to sweep up the remnants from where the dumpster lived. So the truck with the dumpster now on board double-parked to do the sweeping. The driver then had to back up the truck, accidentally taking down the branches in the process.

Meanwhile, at this time we can't independently verify if this sign is via the East Fifth St. Tree Committee.



Thank you to PandaCat for the photos.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The East Fifth St. Tree Committee back in action

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee is alive and well, and they do not mess around

And now, a word from the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee reveals its policy about carts

Summer begins with random bags of soil and a note from the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

Summer begins with random bags of soil and a note from the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

The official start to the summer season is off to a fine start … especially with a note from the local folk heroes of the the East Fifth St. Tree Committee.

PandaCat passes along these photos from last night on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square … showing a few bags of soil … now with a note!



"Please don't put this soil into the tree pit because then the soil level will be too high. If the are bags are a gift for the tree committee let us know."

Reasonable!

Also, just a reminder: Please do not attach bikes or carts to the tree guards. Thank you!

Previously on EV Grieve:
The East Fifth St. Tree Committee back in action

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee is alive and well, and they do not mess around

And now, a word from the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee reveals its policy about carts

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee reveals its policy about carts

By now, some people may know better than to chain a bike to the tree guards on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square … to be fair, they have no mercy for your cart either.

You've been warned! Bam.



Photos yesterday by Derek Berg

Previously on EV Grieve:
The East Fifth St. Tree Committee back in action

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee is alive and well, and they do not mess around

And now, a word from the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

Reminders: Ignore the East 5th St. Tree Committee at your own peril

[Neerad Jet via Facebook]

Here on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square, the East Fifth St. Tree Committee holds forth, warning cyclists from locking their bikes to the tree guards.

As you can see in the above photo via the Committee's telltale pink flyers, a cyclist received a warning. When the bike remained in place for several days... Well!



Bam! Case closed. Next!



Previously on EV Grieve:
The East Fifth St. Tree Committee back in action

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee is alive and well, and they do not mess around

And now, a word from the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee back in action

A reader points out that new signs have appeared here on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square... The post-Sandy grace period has evidently ended...

...Per the reader: "Note rail with Romney sign does not have a flyer. They must have paid the Tree Committee for a permit."

Previously.

Rogue bike discarders threaten sanctity of the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

On Monday, we noted that the East Fifth St. Tree Committee had returned with a vengeance, removing bikes from a tree guard between First Avenue and Second Avenue ...

Now, EVG reader Podunk notes more threats of discarding bikes parked on the sidewalk along East Fifth Street (between Second Avenue and Cooper Square), though it appears to be the work of another individual ... or, perhaps, a splinter group... Regardless, like the East Fifth St. Tree Committee, these people mean business...