A Breath of Fresh Air for a Famous Historic Tree

In 1913, the beech was planted beside this historic Georgian Colonial 1720s mansion.

This summer, SavATree had the honor of caring for one of America’s most historic trees—a magnificent copper beech nestled in the gardens of the Ropes Mansion in Salem, Massachusetts. Known to many as “Allison’s House” in the cult-favorite Halloween movie “Hocus Pocus,” the site helps draw nearly a million visitors a year to the area, most of whom unknowingly contribute to a silent crisis beneath their feet: soil compaction.

Over decades, the excessive foot traffic around this 120-year-old tree has turned its root zone into virtual concrete, choking its ability to absorb water, air, and nutrients.

Led by certified arborist Ben Dugdale, our SavATree team performed radial trenching, a specialized method to relieve compacted soils and revitalize root systems. Using a high-powered air spade, we carefully loosened the hardened soil and replaced it with a nutrient-rich compost mix. This sets the stage for long-term health and resilience by helping the tree “breathe” again, while preventing damage to its delicate root system.

“This is one of the most effective and underutilized tools we have for trees in stressed, high-traffic areas,” says Dugdale. “It’s amazing what a difference it makes, especially for legacy trees like this one.”

“We needed someone with the experience and expertise to successfully perform this highly technical job,” said Patrick Cheney, arborist for the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), which owns the Our SavATree team used an air-spade (a specialized high-pressure air gun) to create these trenches which were then backfilled with compost and loam, allowing it to breathe again). Ropes Mansion and more than a dozen other historic properties and gardens in downtown Salem. “I called SavATree because they’re the best at this kind of work. We are very happy with the professional job they performed.”

The work was completed in June 2025, and the PEM has since installed signs and barriers encouraging visitors to respect the root zone.

“This one treatment, paired with ongoing monitoring and protection, could keep this historic tree thriving for decades to come,” said Dugdale.

Radial trenching isn’t just for famous trees. If you have mature trees in compacted or well-traveled spaces like parks, campuses, or even your own yard, this technique could help save your tree from early decline. Let your arborist know if you notice compacted soil around your tree roots.

Our SavATree team used an air-spade (a specialized high-pressure air gun) to create these trenches which were then backfilled with compost and loam, allowing it to breathe again).