Experts say dormant trees along Veterans Parkway in Cape Coral are alive, despite appearances

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

Some residents of Cape Coral have been voicing concerns about the appearance of trees along Veterans Parkway, near Skyline Boulevard, claiming that the young saplings look dead or dying.

Some people taking to social media, asking, "Why would the city would invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in trees only to see them wither away?"

But experts say the trees are not dead, and the city did not plant them.

Tim Digennaro, an arborist with Tim’s Tree Service, explained that while the trees may appear unattractive, they are still alive.

“Yeah, they do look bad,” Digennaro said. “But it’s like rebirthing. They die off, they go dormant.”

He said they are simply dormant due to the ongoing drought and winter conditions.

Digennaro said that the trees are still alive because their limbs remain pliable and won’t break, a clear sign that they are not dead. He said you can also figure out if a tree is dead by scratching its branch. The inside should be green if it's alive.

The trees along Veterans Parkway were planted by the Future Forestry Foundation, a non-profit organization that received county grants and donations to fund the project. The goal was to increase the city's tree canopy, which had been lacking in the area.

Russell Ringland, the head of the Future Forestry Foundation, explained that while the drought has made it difficult to keep the trees in optimal condition, they use wood chip mulch to help them survive.

“The mulch that’s been put down helps the ground stay moist, doesn’t heat up, and keeps the soil cool for the root system,” Diggenaro said.

Despite the dry conditions, Ringland and Digennaro both stressed that the trees will recover once the weather warms up.

Digennaro recommended that residents continue watering the trees to ensure they bounce back in the spring.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.