Parks & Rec
This page contains updates from our Parks & Rec committee for events that may affect Lakewood Village. The most recent reports are first.
Help needed at our parks
Hello all,
Please observe the following. If you see someone ignoring these rules, please let them know, or contact a Board member to help.
No dogs (except service animals) are allowed in Brendel Beach Park. This is a long-standing rule that has been too often ignored. Keep our park clean and safe for the children.
Please close the gate at both parks. Lock, when leaving. However, be cautious to assure no one is locked in.
The dumpster and porta potty at Brendel beach will not be serviced after November 1. Please take out what you take in after that date.
Help keep our wonderful facilities clean and safe. If you see something that needs to be picked up or fixed, please take care of it if possible or let a board member know. Thank you.
Terry Crossett
LVIA Parks & Rec
Oak Wilt & Tree Trimming update
July 2023
LVIA Residents,
Near the end of July 2023, we sent out a notice that there would be upcoming tree trimming by DTE (under contract) in LVIA.
I wanted to provide an update on the trimming as there were concerns over the timing of that activity in the “warm months” …. Could we be increasing our chance for “oak wilt”?
Cut Above Vegetation contacted me to discuss returning to LVIA to complete the job. They had originally halted progress based on the concerns over raising the oak wilt potential.
We contacted a “Forest Health Forester” from the MI DNR who has visited our neighborhood and found we no Oak Wilt in LVIA (that’s great let’s keep it that way).
DNR recommendations for a “do not trim” period for oaks during the year is April 15 thru July 15.
Cut Above Vegetation had been using an expensive “sealer” to put on the cut branches of the Oaks they were trimming which is expensive and not required even though the trimming was taking place outside of the “do not trim” period.
Cut Above Vegetation will be returning to LVIA to complete the project starting next week. They had additionally delayed an additional week at our request in the hopes that we would get our first frost to check all the safety boxes for “oak wilt prevention”.
Immediately below is the email received following the LVIA visit. Included are websites recommended by the MI DNR for more information on oak wilt. There is also an attached article regarding oak tree health.
Mark Lammert
President, LVIA
Hi Mark,
Per my discussion with your wife yesterday, your red oak trees are showing symptoms of decline but not oak wilt. Oak decline is a combination of factors that include age, soil conditions, too much or too little rain, and repeated defoliation from spongy moth (formerly known as gypsy moth). Attached is an excellent guide to oak decline.
For more information on oak wilt, please visit:
To see a map of known oak wilt locations in Michigan go to Forest health (michigan.gov) and click “view and report oak wilt locations”
Also, I noticed there were some blue spruce in the neighborhood that showed symptoms of a needle cast disease. These are common on blue spruce as the tree is not native to Michigan. You can find out more about the issue here Help me save my blue spruce - Landscaping (msu.edu).
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Cheryl
Cheryl Nelson
Forest Health Forester
Michigan DNR
2468 W. 24th St.
Baldwin, MI 49304