City worker’s 'unfortunate mistake' killed nearly 200 trees along North Temple

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) -- A simple mistake from a Salt Lake City worker killed nearly 200 trees along North Temple on the city's west side. Now the city is looking at options to restore the canopy.

Toby Hazelbaker, the director of the city’s parks division, said the mishap affected trees along the corridor’s planter section, from 700 West to Redwood Road in the Fairview neighborhood. So far, 175 trees have died while others are clinging to life.

“This was a single worker, and this was a very unfortunate mistake,” Hazelbaker said. “This is a worker who cares a lot about their job and was devastated to learn this had happened.”

Per an ongoing investigation by the city, the incident happened last year, when the worker sprayed a common herbicide called Milestone on the base of the trees. The chemical is designed to kill invasive weeds, but it’s not meant to be used on delicate, decorative trees.

Early this summer, the city started noticing the leaves on several trees along North Temple curling and dying. That’s when the city’s urban foresters determined it was because of the dosage ...