check out this nasty rotten crotch!

The available lift is about 80' I think, so not high enough. I can probably swing a crane rental and tie into it for some pruning. Maybe a pull test is in order - it would give me a better idea of stability and if I broke it out, well that's one problem solved!
Even if not tying into this tree is just a "gut" reaction, can you really have any realistic hope of preserving that leader, even with a reduction. If I'm not sure about 200 lbs then... how much more load is the wind generating?!?
We'll be having a good look at this tree on monday.
I'll take some new pics and post. Thanks for the imput, I'm glad we're not done with this yet!
BTW Sean, Guy's picture is still there as an attachment.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The available lift is about 80' I think, so not high enough. I can probably swing a crane rental and tie into it for some pruning. Maybe a pull test is in order - it would give me a better idea of stability and if I broke it out, well that's one problem solved!
Even if not tying into this tree is just a "gut" reaction, can you really have any realistic hope of preserving that leader, even with a reduction. If I'm not sure about 200 lbs then... how much more load is the wind generating?!?
We'll be having a good look at this tree on monday.
I'll take some new pics and post. Thanks for the imput, I'm glad we're not done with this yet!
BTW Sean, Guy's picture is still there as an attachment.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for that Rob, I didn't realize that it was Guy's attachment.

I think that a lot of this discussion is for sake of debate. As Guy pointed out, a highly-trained tree risk assessor is a great idea for an administration that want to keep this tree so badly, even through it is clearly hazardous to public safety to some significant degree. I imagine students under the trees on a sunny day, cramming for an exam.

Discussions like this are informative and an opportunity to share tricks, tips, techniques, and even the opportunity to say that a certain task is out of a person's league to perform/ assess within their training.


Seems like your "gut" reaction is "If that leader gives under my weight and a wind gust, I'm a splatter mark."
Almost certain death or disability. Not a risk to take lightly. Seems like 4 different direction test pulls will be good.

How tall is the tree? 80' straight boom or articulating? A crane for the TIP for top reduction would be good, and not need too large of a crane at that.

I was wondering about the bucket/ man-lift as far as weight reduction on the suspect lead toward the street.

It'll be interesting to see more pictures. If you can, measure 50' or 75' or 100' from the trunk to a visible marker, like a cone. Then, we can better gauge the size of the thing if you can shoot a picture with view angle perpendicular to the measured line.

What are your weather patterns like up there (where are you?)? Summer winds?


Also, I wonder if standard washers are enough for bolting through that thing. Maybe a larger plate to reduce the risk of pull-through.

Have you probed in the crack?
 
Sean,
The lead over the sidewalk I'm not too concerned about working on. I can probably reach alot of it with my own truck and certainly with the JLG Lift. I'm not even that worried about tying into that stem. It's the central leader I'm not sure about.
The tree is beginning to push buds so I'll have to put off pruning for a while.

Pull testing poses a few problems:
1.) I can pull in 3 directions, but not towards the street. Even with a re-direct I would be worried about a failure onto the road, just in case.
2.) The place I really want a good look at pulltesting is about 50' up the central leader. Not sure how I can get a good look at that while it's being pulled on? Again, just in case, a truck or lift puts me in harms' way. Or being up there on a rope is an even more dangerous thought...
Maybe binoculars?

I've never measured the height but have always had to re-tie on the way down, and that's with a 150' rope. It's got to be 100' at least.

One thing I hadn't really considered was a new building just finished on the other (upwind) side of the tree. It's at least 6 stories so we have some new shelter from the winds.
 
Maybe block off the street during the night and give it a really good pull test. I believe it's called natural pruning. Just kidding, it must be nice to have years to observe and decide. As you know with residential work decisions have to be made in under five minutes, or your doing more free consultation.
 
Interesting.

Good for the new wind break.

Binoculars, or a rifle scope maybe, or a spotting scope with tripod. My friend is an ornithogist, or as I call him, a bird-ologist. The binocs he uses blow mine (read: cheap) out of the water. If you know anyone with good optics to borrow for a day, it might help a lot. Maybe the school?

A tough question is, how much load bearing capability would calm how much fear? Static load? Dynamic Loads like gusts? Speed at which to oscillate the branch to simulate gusts?

These are the difficult questions that we, tree workers, are often asked to decide.

(as an aside, I just got a job that I bid for a bunch of pruning and a hemlock removal. Someone cored it in the past, and decided that it needed to come down in 7 years. He then went ahead and topped all the cedar, doug-fir, and this hemlock. Seven years sounds awfully exact, hmmm....

There are many other indicators about this western hemlock for removal. It is not being based on the 7 year deal. Topping damage, loss of other helmocks with root decay in the very immediate area, ganoderma, heat challenge as it is right next to asphalt, which is now hit by direct southern sun, abruptly changed wind conditions with prevailing winds coming in line with tree and house.)
 
that main stem has held up to everything so far; a climber tied in below that defect should be supported by a lot of holding wood. not to rig necessarily, but probing the defect and clipping thinning with a pole pruner above should not put a lot of strain on that defect.

the new 6-story building may be a significant mitigator of risk.

sean yes the yellow lines showed a lot off; totally depends on extent of defect.

o and maybe the hemlock can be a new thread...
 
I was up the tree to look around today and pick around in the decay a bit. Also measured the height @ approx 96 feet.

The building accross the street is not actually directly opposite so isn't likely to be any shelter.

At this point I'm sure the middle has to go. Not even sure about keeping any of the rest either, but I've probably talked to powers-that-be into hiring UFI for this tree and a few others.

All the photos are available here:
http://s946.photobucket.com/albums/ad305/rshawluk/Acer%20saccharum/


Here are a few of the better ones:
IMG_0599copy.jpg


IMG_0625copy.jpg


IMG_0634copy.jpg


IMG_0643copy.jpg


IMG_0656copy.jpg
 
Thanks Rob,

Pics showed that

1 Hypoxylon is active and advanced--note the smooth charcoal look; early stage, and the bumpy blackness; latter stage.

2 Woundwood has been killed, so decay is progressing.

3 some woundwood is visible at the left margin, but not the right.

all in all based on pics i agree with you about the center stem.
frown.gif


circumference decayed is the key stat, not so much height...but like you i hope the school agrees to call in the pros. looks like several options to keep ~50+' of the 96' asset intact.
 
This one isn't even close - all pictures indicate the squirrels already abandoned the thing years ago . . . what are you still doing in it?
 
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