when hugging trees is not enough

When Hugging Trees is Not

Enough

Tree Care Advisor Core Course Training 2012

Making Tree Health and Condition Decisions

Three (completely arbitrary) Perspectives

1. Look Good, but Dangerous.

2. With the Right Amount of Chemicals…They

Might Be Okay.

3. Too Big or Too Small

Photo by Nancy Rose

One Example of Decision-Making

Saving the Tree/Trees is Critical

Historically Significant

Majority of Canopy Cover

Tree/Trees not Critical

One Tree of Many

Use of Area Has Changed

Tree Was a Volunteer

The Tree/Trees Critical to the Landscape

VS

This

This?

One Example of Decision-Making

The Problem May Be Safety (Risk Related)

Correctable Long-Term Correctable

Short-Term Only Correctable

Not Correctable

The Problem May Be Health

Manageable Culturally Correctable

Chemically Dependent

Not Manageable

Safety Versus Health Issues

Safety, or….

Health?

I. Good-Looking, but Is It Dangerous?

Danger Categories

Got Off to a Bad Start

Damaged by Construction

Weakened by Decay

Got Off to a Bad Start

Poor Architecture

Propagation/Production Issues

DED Resistant Elms: Aggressive Growth

Aggressive Elms

Poor Architecture: DED Resistant Elms

Elms in Production: Prune 2-3 Times Per

Season

Bad Forms Catch Up: Removal is Only

Option

Bad Forms Catch Up

Correct Now, or… Remove Tree Later

Decision-Making on Weak Attachments

Remove the Attachment (young trees)

Removal Delayed: Larger Wounds

Waited Too Long: Not Correctable

When it is Too Late to Correct

Is It Too Late?

A Chance to Save Them: Pruning and

Cabling

Propagation/Production Issues

Stem Girdling Roots

Some Begin Here

Stem Girdling Roots

Some Begin Here

The Consequences of Burying Trees

Stem Girdling Roots

SGRs Correctable at This Stage

Exposure of Problem

SGRs Correctable at This Stage

Correction of Problem

Stem Girdling Roots: Not Correctable

Symptoms Too Advanced

SGR Problem Not Correctable

SGR Problem Not Correctable: >50% of

Stem Circumference Compressed

Stem Girdling Roots: Correctable?

Hackberry

Stem Girdling Roots: Problem Corrected?

Correcting Root Depth Issues

Photo: E. Berg

Depth Problem: Too Late?

Green Ash

Depth Problem Corrected – 7 yrs. Later

Depth Problem Corrected – 7 yrs. Later

Ohio Buckeye

Depth Problem Corrected? Autumn Blaze

Maple, 4 yrs. Later

Autumn Blaze Maple, 4 yrs. After

Correction

Damaged by Construction

Define the Damage

Evaluate the Species

Evaluate the Health

Step One: Define the Damage

Stem Wounds, Broken Branches

Root Loss

Soil Disturbance

Microclimate Disturbance

Disease and/or Insect Problems

Wounding, Broken Branches Least of the Problems – Inciting Events

Generally Easy to Treat

Long-Term Effects Negligible

Trunk & Buttress Roots Wounds? Bigger

Issues.

Photos by D. Fallon

Trunk & Buttress Roots Wounds?

Is the Problem Stem Wounds and Broken

Branches?

Photo by Ken Arndt

Root Loss

Direct Root Loss

Indirect Root Loss

Water and Oxygen Restriction

Soil Microflora Altered

Soil Chemistry Altered

Root Growth Restricted

Rhizosphere Temperature Extremes

Direct Root Loss: On the Streets

This Caterpillar is

Much Worse than

Gypsy Moths!

Direct Root Loss

Direct Root Loss

Healthy Trees Often Recover From 1-Sided Root Loss

Direct Root Loss

2-Sided Root Loss is More Serious

Direct Root Loss

Oooooh, 3-Sided Root Loss? Do You Want the Tree to Live?

Direct Root Loss

4-Sided Root Loss? I’m Not Parking Here!!!

Direct Root Loss – One Sided

Trees Were Healthy, but Unstable

Photo Eric Berg

Photo: J. Ryg

Can It Get Worse?

Direct Root Loss

Even Green Ash

Has Its Limits

Indirect Root Loss: Water and

Oxygen Restriction

Photo by B. Johnson

Typical Tree Reaction: Defensive Die-

Back and Clumped Growth. Remove.

Photo: R. Kennedy

Identify the Species: Tolerance Dependent

on Type of Damage

“Tolerant” Species

Bur Oak

Silver Maple

Elms

Tamarack

Crabapples

Birches

Hackberry

“Intolerant” Species

White Oak

Sugar Maple

White Pine

Douglas-fir

Ironwood

Hemlock

Hickories

Evaluate Health

Younger Trees Better

Groups of Trees Better

Starch Test Before

Water Management

Monitoring: Aerial Photography CIR

September,

1997

Monitoring: Aerial Photography CIR

September,

1999

II. With the Right Amount of Chemicals,

They Might be Okay

Chemicals for Health

Chemicals as Preventatives

Chemicals as Lifelines

Chemicals for Health: Grandfather Oak:

Paclobutrazol, Root Stimulants, O.M.

Species: Bur Oak

(Quercus

macrocarpa)

Size: 27" diameter

Crown diameter: 45

feet

Estimated age: 150

years

Estimated life

span: 250 to 350

years

Tree Health:

Excellent (based on

consultant's tests)

Environmental Liabilities: Remove

Poor Condition – Small Canopies

Environmental Liabilities: Decision? It’s a

Bur Oak.

Solitary, Poor Health, Poor Condition

Environmental Liabilities: Decision?

Solitary, Poor Health, Poor Condition

Environmental Liabilities: Decision?

Solitary, Limited Site Potential and Small

Environmental Liabilities: Decision?

High Maintenance Tree – High Risk Potential

All Oaks (white and bur) in Oak Wilt

Area: Preventative Treatment or Not?

Impacts of Emerald Ash Borer

David Cappaert, , www.forestryimages.org David Cappaert, , www.forestryimages.org

75% Ash Neighborhood: Preventative

Chemicals? Lifeline Chemicals?

What’s that doing

Here?

Too Big or Too Small

Infrastructure Conflicts (Risk issue)

Inadequate Space (Risk & Health issue)

Infrastructure Conflicts: Remove/Keep?

Photos: D. Hanson

Infrastructure Conflicts: Remove/Keep?

Photos: Jacob Ryg

Infrastructure Conflicts: Remove/Keep?

Photo: T. Teynor

Infrastructure Conflicts: Remove/Keep?

Photo: D. Hanson

Not Enough Space: Urban “Core” Trees

7-10 Year Lifespan?

Save or Retain Trees: Bicolor Oak on Left,

Black Ash on Right?

Knowing Failure is Likely, Retain or

Remove Planting to the Right?