Amid concerns over tree health in Rehoboth Beach’s Grove Park, the park’s farmer’s market could see a location change.
At a meeting of the city’s Environmental Advisory Committee, committee member Mary Good presented findings from two studies of the trees in the park, one conducted by arborist and tree care company Sav a Tree, the other by the Delaware Forest Service.
Both reports agreed that, while the park’s trees are generally in good health, there are concerns about soil and root compaction, caused in part by vehicles parking over the root systems, for example during the farmer’s market.
Where the reports differ, however, is on how to address the problem. While the Forest Service recommends mulching and adding landscaped areas around the trees to discourage vehicle and foot traffic, Sav a Tree had a different recommendation.
“In addition to soil aeration and continued monitoring, Sav a Tree recommends reducing continual weekly events in sensitive areas of the park and states that following the aeration work completed this spring, the farmers market should permanently relocate,” Good explained.
Committee member Frances Kelleher agreed, noting that Rehoboth Beach may be an outlier, compared to other farmer’s markets in the state, like those in New Castle County.
“They're all held on tarmac or asphalt, whatever you want to call it,” she said. “They are not held on green spaces.”
Rehoboth Beach Commissioner Craig Thier, who chairs the environmental committee, said that discussions are underway, but not to expect action this year.
“Not just the tourists who come here, but the residents that live here enjoy that farmer's market,” Thier said. “So we need to be working with them to come up with alternatives that we could do next year. We're not looking to do anything this year. It's just too late for this year.”
With two conflicting sets of recommendations, the committee is reaching out for more information and recommendations from DNREC’s urban forester. That assessment could come by next month’s committee meeting.
