Life Under the Trees

It’s a lot of work, living under the trees. They spew flotsam and jetsam on the daily: Sabal palm seeds, tiny acorns from various old oaks, the spiky ball of the Sweetgum, and the dreaded fruits from the majestic Queen palms that flank the garage. (It’s not native, I know. Don’t come for me. There are other out-of-zone plantings in the landscape here, but I know better, now.)

If you’re not out there blowing off your deck seven days a week your place will look unkempt with environmental litter  as though the residents have died inside, so be prepared for a neighborly wellness check.

In other words, you can’t take your foot off the gas when it comes to outdoor maintenance if you want to live in Atlantic Beach. You must be committed to living under the trees. Not only will there be sweeping or blowing, these beauties often lose limbs in windy conditions. It’s a good idea to establish a relationship with a reputable tree-trimming service, too, because you’ll need that. Forget about hiring a friend’s friend from college. They might be great in the early days, but tree care is hard work and you don’t need someone who dips out and is suddenly unreachable when you need work done. Quotes from aborists and tree-trimmers can vary, with many offering the “Atlantic Beach discount” which is really a surcharge because you live in Atlantic Beach and therefore should pay more. Um, no. Keep looking. You’ll find an honest resource, and when you do, nurture that relationship.

It’s going to cost you, being an environmental steward. You should consider that when looking at real estate in Atlantic Beach. Set aside funds for tree care and, if you can, put aside extra in case you ever have to remove a tree (God forbid) because you’ll be paying into the Atlantic Beach tree mitigation fund to the tune of about $1,800 per mature Sabal palm, roughly. Hopefully your realtor is advising you of these facts before you fantasize about putting in a pool or adding on to your residence. It might be your property, but you don’t exactly own the trees. You just get to take care of them and make damn sure nothing happens to them on your watch. Those are the kind of neighbors we want here in Atlantic Beach.

And for all this effort, you will reside together with the wise old Bard owls who will call in the night to their owl community sometimes creating a beautiful chorus of asking and answering that reverberates through the neighborhood overhead, as has been done for all time. We are just small people passing beneath them, who occasionally look up in wonder at these majestic creatures and sometimes their cute owlets, whose baby owl faces show such wide-eyed curiosity. The gorgeous hawks who perch on trees and mailboxes and playground equipment, staying still long enough to snap a good pic while you pass by, looking up,  as you enjoy an evening walk through the twisted oaks of Atlantic Beach.

If you’re in the park you might glimpse a small fox dashing by as you trudge along with your (leashed) dog.

The trees offer so much shade and therefore relief from the hot Florida sun that you just know why God made these southern Live oaks and how crucial they must have been for people who had to live here before air conditioning.

All the trees and native plants are so important to the overall ecosystem that each new homeowner should be made to complete an as-yet-to-be-designed course in Native Plantings for Your Area that offer ideas for creating a living, natural landscape that contributes to the community while providing an opportunity for individual creativity/preferences. (And know the fines for removing native trees, even if they do have 38 other mature native trees on the property.)