Press release/provided photos
At first glance, many mature trees appear strong, healthy, and beautiful. They provide shade, enhance neighborhood character, improve air quality, and contribute to the overall quality of life in our community. However, a tree’s outward appearance does not always reveal the condition hidden within its trunk, root system, or structural framework.
The trees shown here are real examples from North Lyon Street in June 2026 and demonstrate why the City of Batavia must occasionally remove large, established trees to protect public safety and maintain critical infrastructure.
Several of these trees exhibited significant decay, hollowing, and rot cavities at their bases. These visible openings are often indicators of more extensive internal deterioration, where the structural wood that supports the tree has been compromised. As decay progresses, a tree’s ability to withstand wind, storms, heavy snow, and other environmental stresses is greatly reduced, increasing the likelihood of failure.
In addition to structural concerns, aging and declining trees can have a substantial impact on public infrastructure. Expanding root systems frequently uplift and crack sidewalks, create trip hazards for pedestrians, damage curbs, and interfere with public rights-of-way. Uneven sidewalks can present accessibility challenges and increase the risk of falls and injuries for residents and visitors.
When a tree with known structural defects is left unaddressed, the consequences can be severe. A failing tree or large limb may fall onto a vehicle, strike a pedestrian, damage a home, disrupt utilities, or block roadways. For this reason, the City proactively evaluates trees showing signs of decline and removes those that pose a significant risk to public safety.
The City of Batavia remains committed to balancing environmental stewardship with community safety. While the removal of mature trees is never taken lightly, these decisions are made only after careful evaluation of the tree’s condition, potential hazards, and impacts on surrounding infrastructure.
To ensure safe and sustainable neighborhoods, the City continues to:
• Remove hazardous and declining trees.
• Eliminate sidewalk trip hazards caused by root intrusion.
• Reconstruct sidewalks where damage has occurred.
• Restore damaged streetscapes and public rights-of-way.
• Replant trees in appropriate locations whenever possible.
• Maintain a healthy, diverse urban forest for future generations.
Through these ongoing efforts, the City of Batavia is investing in safer sidewalks, stronger infrastructure, and healthier neighborhoods while continuing to preserve and renew our urban canopy. Although tree removals are often noticeable, they are sometimes a necessary step in preventing injuries, protecting property, and ensuring residents can safely enjoy our streets, sidewalks, parks, and public spaces for years to come.
Photos shown are actual examples of tree decline, structural decay, and sidewalk damage observed on North Lyon Street in June 2026.
Bullshit!! Yes there are some dying trees that need to be removed but the city council and The city manager and Shawn and Steve from the dept of works are clear cutting our trees from our streets in batavia only to be able to install we slabs of concrete aka sidewalks!! My street they just tore down ALL the old growth trees 100* years they also did this on Kingsbury, Union and Prospect. There is zero environmental stewardship, care or empathy got magnificent old growth trees in the city of batavia and the city council and city manager and those in the public works who are doing this are acting recklessly and with zero regard for the trees, the wildlife that lives in the trees and the curb appeal that the 25+ foot trees give our streets. They are replacing these old growth trees with “shrubs” that they call trees. The city is paid $50/tree by the electric company to plant trees that will not grow taller than the electrical wires!! The city is cutting down HEALTHY trees only because the lazy contractors they hired to put in the new sidewalks will cut thru the roots of the existing trees and mill them anyway!!! We do not want new sidewalks of it means the decimation of our old growth trees!! There are NO old growth trees now on my street!!!!! Take a look at Kingsbury and Prospect and Soccio and Inion streets to see the devastation the city council, city manager and dept of public works has done. It’s disgusting. They could have repaired the sidewalks where they had heaved due to the tree roots because they had already taken those two trees down on my street but no.. they litter clear cut my street and now there are no trees left!! The entire city council, city manager and Shawn and Steve.. public works?? Should lose their jobs!!