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saving a 48 DBH oak

Started by rebocardo, June 15, 2004, 04:42:53 PM

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rebocardo

My main question is does this oak sound like it is worth saving and worth the cost of an arborist to come in and look at it?

My wife's church (Atlanta GA) has a big 48 inch dbh oak that measures 12.5 feet circumference and about 100 feet tall. They have been given estimates on taking it down that range from $1900-$3000. The reason for taking it down is the huge dead branches about 50 feet up.

If it has to come down, I will take it down for free or find a way to have it taken down for free because I have seen these tree services turn these beautiful trees into nothing more then curb side firewood. I think the tree deserves better.

After checking out this oak I think it might be possible to save it. That is what I recommended because finding a 48 inch oak that is over 150 years old in the city is worth saving imo.

At least some 36 inch slabs and 48 inch rounds.

Plus, it is in an area where it will not be impacted by the city enviroment (in a small playground off of a swampy area).

What concerns me is that I found a small slit in a root at the base of the tree above the ground. Then I realized it was hollow. Digging it out I could go almost two inches into the root and the root was dry like paper and the wood towards the middle was orange with holes and kind of dried cake like. I dug through it with a screw driver with no problems.

Is it normal for roots to die like this on a tree? Most of the other roots look okay.

The trunk looks okay except the squirrels have stripped the bark from the middle of the tree. A lot of it. While I was there, he hung upside down and just was stripping the bark off and I would guess trying to bonk me in the head with it. Another reason for helmets even estimating.

Is there any reason a squirrel would do this, except for being squirrels, that would indicate a bug infestation under the bark?

Most of the leaves have not fully opened yet on most of the tree, though most branches do have leaves. It is June 15th, so I would imagine it should have opened all its leaves unless there is a real problem unless big trees open slower.

Is it normal for 12"+ branches/trunks to die off if they are shaded? The tree does have new growth and limbs about 15 feet off the ground and the new growth that is not shaded is about 3 inches thick now. I think most of the dead stuff is a natural progression. Is it?


Ron Scott

It sounds like "old age". Do you know the age of the tree?

Have a qualified urban forester look at it and get their professional opinion on saving the tree for awhile, what tree work might be necessary to save it or improve its vitality at present. Have them appraise the tree for its current landscape value. It might surprise those who want to have it removed.

What risks and liabilitys are involved with the tree at present?

~Ron

SwampDonkey

I agree with Ron, its also hard to make a call on something we can't see. There may be signs your arborist may identify to determine whether its a right-off or a keeper.

Good luck :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

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rebocardo

> What risks and liabilitys are involved with the
> tree at present?

A branch will fall and kill someone in the playground, which is the only place at the church that is not asphalt where kids can play. This is everyone's biggest concern because it makes the playground unplayable. They want the playground for the church and all the other groups that use it while at the church.

If the tree goes on without care and gets diseased or dead, in the future it stands a good chance of falling over into the parking lot or if it falls totally against its lean, uphill,  it could possibly hit the church, though it is 40 feet away, 72-80 feet away on a 45 degree angle, and there is an 18 inch oak between the big one and the church. This is a very small chance.

They wanted to lop off all but 15-20 feet and leave it standing as a pole and I told them they could not because that section probably hits the scales at 11k-12,000 pounds and sooner or later it would fall over and squish whatever it fell on. Plus, it would encourage all the pests noone wants and possible kill the other oaks.

I measured 133 feet to the nearest utility pole in the parking lot and  72 feet on an angle to the nearest part of the church. So, if it is going to come down, now is the time before it gets bigger or hollowed out.

I will try to post pictures soon.

Thanks.

rebocardo

I know they have a Live Oak society in LA (?), wish there was something like that in GA.

Ron Scott

It appears that the church has a "duty" to remove the tree with the liability and risks associated with it being on a playground where it could kill someone.
~Ron

rebocardo

Well, they decided to take it down because the playground around the tree brings in $5000 because it gets rented out as part of a school program that has to have the separate playground by law.

The risk of spending the money on an arborist and still not being able to save the tree when they have a negative budget was not worth it, I guess.

So, now I have to get insurance so I can take down the tree because whoever works on church property has to have liability insurance.

Thank you for the suggestions and help, now I am off to see if I can find a local sawyer that might want the wood before I butcher it because the biggest I can saw it is 26 inches wide.

Sad to see such a fine (rare) city tree that big go down. It is at least three times older then me  :-/

Then again, God put them here for us to use   8)
  

Stephen_Wiley

Rebo,

Due to computer failure, I have been gone awhile. :-/

Did you get the tree down?

Your initial description of the roots and canopy, definately showed the tree to be in serious decline. That coupled with its location over a playground was more than enough to take the prudent course of removal.

It may of been impacted with. Armillaria spp. You may want to inform the church council that the possibilitie of a root pathogen presence will impact the remaining trees.  

Cost of hiring a arborist or forester with pathology skills, may be cost effective in management of the remaining trees.

The best time to observe signs and symptoms will be during reoval. ;)
" If I were two faced, do you think I would be wearing this one?"   Abe Lincoln

rebocardo

The tree is down.

The trunk, except the outer layer of maybe an inch, was in great shape. Some branches were punky and had ants, though I think they moved in after the tree declined.

The heart of the tree looked red/pinkish and on some branches it actually looked like some critter got killed with the red sap or something oozing from the wood.

Most of the bigger branches were very solid and I turned some of them into 2x10x72 planks.

I guess it was just old age and maybe combined with where it was (30 feet from a parking lot) and shaded by other trees did it in.

Within the last two months it actually died. It had green leaves when I posted, by the time it was taken down the green leaves turned brown and red.

It was decided to down it because of the hazard it represented (dropping 12 inch branches from 40 feet up) over the playground.

A shame, there are not too many big oaks left in this city. About 1000 feet from it, another oak went over in a storm that was just as big in another church parking lot. Crushed a car, noone was hurt because the owner was inside.

Seems like the drought of the last couple of years has killed many of the older oaks in this area, although they are suppose to live to 300 years instead of 150. Biggest one I have cut up so far was 54 inches. I actually found a bottle inside the butt from the the 1850s, which I put on E-Bay :-)



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