Our landscape renovation plan includes major changes inside the circle drive at the main front entrance. Specifically, the large copper beech tree and the metal burr oak tree have been relocated
and will be replaced with flower beds and lower vegetation.
Relocating a mature tree is a major undertaking. We contracted with a landscape firm that specializes in this activity. Late in the fall, the ground at the base of the tree was covered with straw to prevent it from freezing. As temperatures dropped, the root ball was excavated, wrapped, and allowed to freeze solid. A mammoth 66,000-pound front-end loader was then used to lift and move the 18,000-pound tree and root ball.
The copper beech tree was originally planted in honor of Rocky Dedrick. The metal oak tree is a sculpture commemorating West Bend’s reaching $1 billion in assets in 2003. The tree and the sculpture have been relocated as features of the newly established Dedrick Prairie.
