AS member OTG grilled by media

[rmihalek]

I caught a glimpse of AS member OTG Boston getting the third degree by some local news reporter about some tree trimming activities.

OTG, what was the topic?

 

[treemandan]

That because Michael Jackson is dead and they need something new to talk about.


" and here's what's happening in youe neck of the woods"

 

[moss]

East Boston residents complained that the street trees in front of their houses were being over-pruned by the city. OTG mentioned in the report that City of Boston is testing a new pruning program in East Boston. From the looks of the trees after pruning they're being more intensively pruned then you might expect. My guess is that this new "thorough" pruning approach is being done to decrease limb blowdown hazards to people and power lines and to generally promote better crown structure for city trees. The before and after effect freaks people out in the neighborhoods obviously.

I know of a particular big Norway Maple in my Boston neighborhood that was completely hollowed out from the base of the trunk up to the crown. It was the biggest squirrel hotel I've ever seen. It had repeatedly dropped limbs on cars. OTG's crew came by and took the tree out, some of the neighbors freaked, wanted to know why the tree was taken down. Those whose cars had been hit did not ask.

Ask OTG about all the police reports he has to file on people who cut down or do insane pollard style pruning on city trees in front of their houses. The usual reasons are "Trees are dirty", "I don't like to rake leaves" or "I can't get grass to grow in my front yard" etc.
-moss

 

[Nailsbeats]

Surely we aren't talking about topping trees, are we? Ah, the saga continues.

 

[moss]

Surely we aren't talking about topping trees, are we? Ah, the saga continues.

None of the trees in the news report were topped, the crowns were thinned.
-moss

 

[treeseer]

None of the trees in the news report were topped, the crowns were thinned.
-moss

Just thinned?

Does tha tdo enough to prevent limb failure?

 

[moss]

Just thinned?

Yep, and deadwooded etc.

Does tha tdo enough to prevent limb failure?

Ya got me

Nothing prevents limb failure though there's a lot that can reduce it.

I'll let OTG speak for himself but from what I saw in the before and after it looked like crown thinning or reduction (not topping). OTG might call it something else.

If you're taking out codominants, compromised limbs (rotted, hollowed, dead etc) and taking weight off of large limbs on Norway Maple with big horizontal reach then you're certainly reducing limb failure possibilities.

It looked like the trees were left with good structure for future growth. Many of these trees have serious problems with coodminants (Zelkova, need I say more?) and other flaws from living in a harsh urban environment, in the thin strip between the sidewalk and the street or paved right up to the base of the trunk.

I don't know who got everyone going on Zelkova as a good urban street tree, they were very wrong, unless you think of street trees as disposable items to be replaced every 25 years.
-moss

 

[Nailsbeats]

I don't know who got everyone going on Zelkova as a good urban street tree, they were very wrong, unless you think of street trees as disposable items to be replaced every 25 years.
-moss

Well yes, Moss, it's job security. So is topping/reducing for that matter.

 

[Lawnmowerboy48]

Link to the article I was unable to get the video to work

http://www1.whdh.com/features/articles/hank/BO122622/

Wish they would do some more research on these issues before diving into them. News is slow I guess.

 

[John464]

the responses he gave the reporter made me chuckle. I would be interested to see the before and after and also hear some details on the experiment. Not sure the reasoning on experimenting with an entire neighborhood of trees? Why not use one specimen for the experiment part, then if the experiment shows promise, do the entire neighborhood?

The experiment may not even be an experiment at all, afterall a certified arborist such as OTG will know how these trees will react to the aggressive pruning.

 

[Adkpk]

Hey OTG your're looking good in that news clip. Not so for your beloved trees. But hey we all know it's got to be done. You told'em like it is and that's as good as it get's. Here's to doing your job.

 

[John464]

just realized there is a link in that article to a vid. they dont look that bad. the lions tailing will sucker like crazy but should reduce the storm damage effects some in the next winter or two. not sure if this an ideal long term plan

 

[Dadatwins]

Would have liked to see if any height reduction was done beside the interior thinning. Could not tell from the video.

 

[treeseer]

Would have liked to see if any height reduction was done beside the interior thinning. Could not tell from the video.

Same here. Some of the raising was more than the tree likes, but if they need 14' over the road then that's it. This is the best time of year for hard pruning; less sprout response.

For PR sake, using hand tools on those teensy cuts might be an idea.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Not a bad news report. They could have made it a hit job on OTG, or the City of Boston in general. By letting OTG have the last word, it looks much better.


The video worked for me, no problem.


I had no idea OTG was that ugly!! :jawdrop:





Nice job with the interview, though, OTG. You handled that well.

 

[D Mc]

I feel sorry for OTG. He is a good guy but on this I am afraid he is going to have to grow elephant skin. Sounds like he might be defending the work done by his crews, but there is nothing good that is going to come from that style of pruning.

Those trees were not pollarded, which I would have preferred to what was done.

Dave

 

[moss]

Would have liked to see if any height reduction was done beside the interior thinning. Could not tell from the video.

Don't think so.
-moss

 

[capetrees]

I'm not an arborist but I have been on jobs where the pros come in and do EXACTLY what OTG did with these trees. They get pruned up and look weak and leggy. I had my doubts when the trees were done but now that I see again they are done this way in this situation and the fact that the trees on my job have survived very well and look better 1 1/2 years later, I have 100% faith that OTG is doing the right thing. I just hope the know it all morons that complained call back in a couple years and thank OTG and crew for a job well done.

 

[fishercat]

damn!

East Boston residents complained that the street trees in front of their houses were being over-pruned by the city. OTG mentioned in the report that City of Boston is testing a new pruning program in East Boston. From the looks of the trees after pruning they're being more intensively pruned then you might expect. My guess is that this new "thorough" pruning approach is being done to decrease limb blowdown hazards to people and power lines and to generally promote better crown structure for city trees. The before and after effect freaks people out in the neighborhoods obviously.

I know of a particular big Norway Maple in my Boston neighborhood that was completely hollowed out from the base of the trunk up to the crown. It was the biggest squirrel hotel I've ever seen. It had repeatedly dropped limbs on cars. OTG's crew came by and took the tree out, some of the neighbors freaked, wanted to know why the tree was taken down. Those whose cars had been hit did not ask.

Ask OTG about all the police reports he has to file on people who cut down or do insane pollard style pruning on city trees in front of their houses. The usual reasons are "Trees are dirty", "I don't like to rake leaves" or "I can't get grass to grow in my front yard" etc.
-moss

glad i'll never live in Boston or any other big city.

 

[treemandan]

I would say they have been hit a little hard... but it looks like that had to been done.
Also, some municpalities make the HO pay for the work so they should shut up. You get what you get and you don't get upset.
What a whinny bunch of people. It don't matter how they were pruned, heck they could have been just left alone and the people would still gripe and you all know that is the truth.
I think Hank should be sued for deformation of character or slander or something.