Residents of Aspen Equestrian Estates, neighboring the polo fields east of Carbondale, were unable to stop their HOA from “removing” a weeping willow (Salix babylonica) estimated to be at least 50 years old. Kristin Melbye, the resident whose house is closest to the tree, considers herself a conservationist and offered to pay for annual inspections and maintenance, and to indemnify the HOA should the tree cause damage to her home. Since 2019, Melbye had already been paying for the tree’s maintenance. “I purchased my lot because of the proximity to the willow where a great horned owl perches,” Melbye wrote to neighbors, requesting help to prevent the tree’s demise. SavATree arrived on March 10 to cut it down, at a cost of around $11,500 to residents. The HOA board declared the tree, which extends over Equestrian Way, a liability due to its age and condition and acted “in the interest of and for the safety and well-being of the community as a whole.” A letter to the community detailed how the HOA’s insurance carrier considered the tree a known hazard due to documented issues including a large branch failure, which Melbye denies. “I’m devastated,” she told The Sopris Sun. “The tree could be providing joy and beauty for a possible six more years with adequate pruning.” Photo by Raleigh Burleigh