Has anyone done analysis for protecting trees during construction as part of a job estimate? There are lots of ways to go: remove ’em and get them out of the way, move them to a new spot, move around them carefully and leave ’em where they are. There are cost implications for each approach and decisions the homeowner will have to make. For one thing, homeowners should know there are usually some economic benefits to trying to preserve the trees, not only energy- pollution and erosion-wise, but studies show that houses/lots with mature trees will sell for 5 to 10 percent more than those without. Has anyone walked a homeowner through this process?
Joe P.
Replies
My excavator for both basement and drainfield in a heavily forested site (red, white, and pin oaks, cherry, elm) and I went through an exercise of which trees absolutely had to be removed, which ones he would try to save, and which ones would probably be safe. He did include the extra time involved in working the site in his fixed price bids. I think I was able to save the most attractive and larger oaks...time will tell. I am pretty sure two white oaks were sufficiently root damaged to have to come down next year.
Drainfield and garage excavation were done a year ago, basement and crawl space footing trenches finished yesterday. I was alot more aggressive this year about tree removal for the basement/crawl space than I was for the drainfield/garage...both to make it easier on his equipment and so I wouldn't have to go back with some tricky chainsaw work to remove trees that got dinged or root-damaged and ended up dying anyway.
In SE MN anyway, there is a state-employed forest resource guy who's job it is to go out and help landowners assess thier forests...he came out at no charge. I would strongly suggest getting one of these types involved early on as the site plan is being finalized.
Search http://www.extension.umn.edu/index.html for an article on Protecting Trees From Construction Damage: A Homeowners Guide by Garey E. Johnson.
American Society of Consulting Arborists - Home Should have some interesting stuff also.
Saving Trees During Construction From JLC is another good article.
Hope this is what you're looking for.
SamT
Sam,
Thanks for the tips!
Joe
Hi Joe, besides watching out for the obvious damage to trees, (cut roots, hit by machines, etc) is the grading of the lot after construction is complete. Adding or removing any dirt around the tree will kill it. It might take a year or two but it will happen. This would be anything with in the "drip line", or the outer most reach of the branches. Adding or removing even an inch will kill it. I have seen people build a "well" around the tree so the dirt wasn't up against the trunk and the tree will still die because adding dirt on top of the roots is what really kills it.
This is something to make the home owners aware of. They might want to save a tree but also want the grade around it to change, it won't work.
Some trees tolerate grade changes well, and others don't tolerate it much at all. Generally, tree species which are accustomed to living along streams and in river bottoms are not bothered by grade changes, because it naturally happens to them all the time. You might check with your local arborists.
Mike,
Thanks for your input. I think wells might work if they could be big enough. I've also seen recommendations that they should be filled with gravel. I've even seen wells with "vents" (probably drain tiles) that run from the old root level to the well wall or to the surface. Sounds like a lot of trouble but then again, you can't replace a 50 year old tree unless you have A LOT of time.
Joe P.
A major over looked issue is weight. You need to keep heavy equipment and even worker vehicles off and out from under the dripline. The major source of water is a netting of small feeder roots around the base of the tree.
A project I was on a few years ago lost 3 major pecan trees. At first we thought it was something natural attacking the trees but an arborist pointed out the heavy compaction from our equipment 6 months earlier.
You can raise the grade around trees but the rule of thumb I was told is no more than an inch a year. this allows the roots to adjust.
Edited 9/11/2003 1:22:07 PM ET by JAGWAH
Good point. And now they're recommending protecting the area beyond the drip line. The sources I've seen say that those critical fragile roots run out 2 or 3 times the drip line!
Joe P.
Lotsa stuff out there:
http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/prints/protecttreesprint.html
http://www.townofgreece.org/planningdevelopment/EnvironmentalBoard/protectingtrees.asp
http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/protecttrees.html
Or you can hire my tree hugging consultant:
It is a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you are trying to lead - and find no one there [Franklin D. Roosevelt]
aw-right - - finally got a post deleted by the PC police - - you only got yours edited - - she looked a little like 'the bears' honey, didn't she - thanks BH....
I'm surprised it got deleted - Didn't look to me like anything you wouldn't have seen at the beach.
BTW - Not to hijack this thread, but.......
A while back I was looking for an axe handle. You said something about me making my own handle. Well, last week an Uncle cut me a chunk of hickory out of a tree that he cut down. It's about 42" long and 16" in diameter. There's a knot in one side and the rest is clear.
I went out and painted the ends of the log with latex paint to keep the thing from drying too fast on the ends. And we moved it into an open sided machinery shed so it would be under roof. But beyond that I'm kinda at a loss as to what to do with the thing.
Should I split it and let the individual pieces dry out? Or should I leave the log whole for a year or 2 and let it dry slowly? Should I use the outside of the log for the handle(s), the center, or the part inbetween?Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules, and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words, it is war minus the shooting. [George Orwell, "Shooting an Elephant"]
Should I split it and let the individual pieces dry out? Or should I leave the log whole for a year or 2 and let it dry slowly? Should I use the outside of the log for the handle(s), the center, or the part inbetween?
Split it now, preferably with a froe. Sawing will usually leave you with some short fibers and decreased strength. If you leave it whole you may end up with toothpicks. Hickory dries just fine, out of the sun with air circulation. The heartwood is what you're after. Considering your application, it'll be ready to go in a couple of months.
I just cut up a standing dead hickory. Even 2 yrs dead, the ends are checking thoroughly. As firewood was my intent, no problem.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
what VaTom said...
split out a couple of blanks - - a shaving horse and drawknife are nice to shape the blanks, but it can be done with a hand held grinder and some 36 grit - - Roy Underhill's 'the Woodwrights Shop' has wonderfully detailed instructions for turning a tree into handles and lots more too...
Thanks for the info. (You too, VaTom)
I have a couple of books by Roy Underhill - I'll dig them out and see if they cover handles.
I have a shaving horse and a couple of drawknives. Even made some wooden spoons a few years back after seeing one of his shows. Making the handle(s) will make a nice project for working down by the woodstove this winter.Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded it's almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is filled with educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. [Calvin Coolidge]
ya - 'the Woodwrights Shop' is one of his books, not the tv show - - gonna sharpen that drawknife on the tormex? -
Actually, I've sharpened everything in the house at least once on the Tormek...................(-:
Unfortunately, the stone is a bit out of round, so I need to get a stone truing tool. But they're about $60.
I almost couldn't stand to watch the Woodright's TV show - He's just too wierd. But I like the books.It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt [Mark Twain]
I understand that he tapes the shows in one continuous take, which explains all the blood and speed and awkwardness and such - - I'd like to see norm try it once...
anyway, sorry to hijack the thread - - as a degreed horticulturalist, I give my stamp of approval to all the aforementioned information (altho I haven't checked out all the links) - - one thing that hasn't been mentioned in regards to drainage is that runoff from the roof/eves trough can change the water relationship with the trees enough to have negative impact - a minor consideration compared to most of the other factors mentioned, but something of which to be cognizant - -
we got the tree police here, city worker that right ticket. any oak bigger than 18 inches, you cannot touch. no matter what. contractor cut a 24 inch couple years ago. he lost his license and was fined 50k
Not in my town. The idiots plant trees along the streets and if the sidewalk pops a bit or the branches reach the power lines, they cut em down and leave the stumps. Where do you live? I might want to move there.
And we got "Tree Hugging Consultant" police here. hehehe
SamT
Around my parts the buzz words are " Defensible space", rumor has it, the insurance co. are getting ready to "up" the premiums and or cancel your homeowners policy, if your home is not defensible to a wild fire. Jim J somewhere in central Arizona
The company I work for is located in a heavily wooded area, mature oaks mostly. Years ago when we put up and addition, they selected the best trees to save. The two measures I recall were wiring a 2x4 skirt around the trunks to protect from inadvertent bashes, the real protective measture was the creation of a temporary "road" of large crushed stone for equipment to use to approach the addition area. This went right next to many of the largest trees and was completely removed when the project was done. After more than 10 years we have not lost a single tree.
In the photo, all equipment entered and exited between the two trees in front, dozers, backhoes, dumps and cement trucks. The rock be they laid down was probably 6-10" deep. I did not see how they were able to strip the stone when done, probably some fine scoop artistry.
We WANTED to save the trees on our lot, but the contractor as per usual decided it was easier to remove 90% of them. Needless to say, DW was NOT pleased.