Post Oak Buried, Cracked Open, Armillaria...

[guymayor]

Just checked out this thing today.

exposed the trunk as much as i had time for; owner will finish (?)

 

[guymayor]

Close up of base with text. Comments?

I just did a one hour assessment; what's next?

 

[dylanclimbs]

well you're the boss, but do you think that this tree can be saved? it appears as though there are some indicators which might suggest this tree would only become a larger risk if it were allowed to grow, even if all the factors leading to its current state of decline were remediated. that being said, perhaps it is the case that this tree can be retained.

is the tree in an area of high traffic? does the homeowner want to retain this tree even if it poses a less than ideal risk to the people and environment around it? more information would help...

 

[willbranch]

I would guess most of the decline in the crown is due to the depth of the tree. I would blow out the area and assess the root collar to see if the tree is worth all the work in cleaning the crown and supporting it . Even after all of that it would be unlikely that the Armillaria will just go away. The area would need to stay pretty dry to slow it down which might be difficult to achieve after removing the excess soil around the root collar. Tough one...how close are those targets again Good luck

 

[guymayor]

is the tree in an area of high traffic?

driveway, no lexus but they do value their cars. nice landscape in front, could hit house if it fell ~30 degrees off its lean.

"does the homeowner want to retain this tree even if it poses a less than ideal risk to the people and environment around it?"

well they value the tree; that's why they called an arborist and bought the assessment. btw wtf is an ideal risk? and what can be done to make the risk closer to ideal?

" more information would help..."

got a lot in those boxes already; what more do you need?

no q stellata in bc i take it..."post" oak it's called because they used to make posts out of it.

ps i'm not the boss; the owner is. i do not make recommendations on trees like this; i describe management options.

yes there is a difference; a huge difference.

 

[cerviarborist]

Was the tree installed too deep, or was the grade changed after installation?

I guess that management all boils down to how deeply attached the homeowner is to this particular tree, and how much effort and resources they're willing to expend to retain it. If it's a tree with deep sentimental value to the property owner, they might want to consider correcting the grade, fungicide applications, and parhaps guying the tree, to slow its decline and hedge their bets in the event of a failure.

Perhaps they should also consider collecting and germinating acorns from that tree, in order to continue its legacy.

 

[Knowledgequest]

The removal of infected soil from the buttress roots and beyond, without compromising structural integrity, could disrupt the Arm infection cycle. Is Armillaria so weak a competitor that beneficial microbes introduced into the soil could further push it back?
Trees compartmentalize. Perform bmp then monitor.

 

[dylanclimbs]

if a tree has the potential to do damage if it fails, then to me this is a risk. if the tree is healthy and well maintained then this seems like an ideal way to deal with this risk. it would seem that your documentation describes a tree with less then ideal health. therefore, it poses a less then ideal risk...this is just the way i look at it. not like we're on different teams here, maybe it just the way in which i posed my questions that perturbed you.

i like the differentiation between recommendation and management options...it allows you to take a step back away from 'people' reasons for tree work and describe what is best for the tree. im new to tree assessment and have lots to learn.

what i meant by your the boss, is that you have WAAAY more exp in this regard than most, so it seems kinda like you were fishing. clearly, i took the bait. lets try to avoid shoolhouse mudslinging, we are all students of tree work.

what i mean to say is dont be such an @$$

 

[guymayor]

cervi good post, i think the tree was preexisting and just got dumped on but i will know more if/when owner finishes rcx.

Kquest 'perform bmp then monitor'--which best management practices would you prioritize as reasonable management options?

dykab sorry the 'ideal' wording confused me.

will i agree. btw i figured pruning and support to take 2.5 crew hours so that would not be a budget-buster for anyone, not that budgets are the assessor's business unless the client makes them so.