preserve this willow?

[John Paul Sanborn]

To prove my point about the stability of the tree I climbed it and did the work myself.

My concern would not be for the current condition, but the not too distant futre.

I throw a rope up and give a pull test, if it move right I climb it.

What type of expectations does the city have as far as Sustainable Useful Life Expectancy?

What type of inspection cycle will be recomended?

I agre that the tree can be managed into decline, and probably for a long period of time. Maybe a lot of water and some broad sepectrum, low N fert would help with diameter growth and compartmentalization.

What it comes down to for liability is, are you assuming the decision making, or are the city people. Beause there will still be a tree with a defect that a "reasonable person" could recognize.

 

[AlpineJesus]

If you need the Alpine man to come in for a Tree Risk assessment, my services are available!

GoodLuck

 

[OTG BOSTON]

My concern would not be for the current condition, but the not too distant futre.

I throw a rope up and give a pull test, if it move right I climb it.

What type of expectations does the city have as far as Sustainable Useful Life Expectancy?

What type of inspection cycle will be recomended?

I agre that the tree can be managed into decline, and probably for a long period of time. Maybe a lot of water and some broad sepectrum, low N fert would help with diameter growth and compartmentalization.

What it comes down to for liability is, are you assuming the decision making, or are the city people. Beause there will still be a tree with a defect that a "reasonable person" could recognize.

I will inspect this tree myself on a monthly basis, because it has become a "special project" of mine. Managing decline is what we do!

As an agent of the city I will assume the responsibility for the decision, I'm use to making decisions like this, its almost an everyday occurance.

 

[treeseer]

I will inspect this tree myself on a monthly basis, because it has become a "special project" of mine. Managing decline is what we do!

As an agent of the city I will assume the responsibility for the decision, I'm use to making decisions like this, its almost an everyday occurance.

Sounds like Better Tree Care!

 

[OTG BOSTON]

Sounds like Better Tree Care!

Thanks TS. The way I see it is I could s-can EVERY tree in the city based on target/target value. It is much more difficult to make the hard judgement calls to save the trees!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Sounds like Better Tree Care!

Selling franchise rights Guy?

 

[treeseer]

Selling franchise rights Guy?

In fact I am open to bids for the Milwaukee region, from qualified applicants such as yourself.

Re the leaning willow, it is refreshing to see a govt employee practicing stewardship instead just CYA. Let us know how it goes ok?

 

[OTG BOSTON]

In fact I am open to bids for the Milwaukee region, from qualified applicants such as yourself.

Re the leaning willow, it is refreshing to see a govt employee practicing stewardship instead just CYA. Let us know how it goes ok?

the prop is going in soon, that will be the next set of pics. I also have pruning pics to post,and will follow up with more after it has fully leafed out.

 

[OTG BOSTON]

Its been a while.......

I finally got around to taking pics of the willow a few months after pruning. It looks good, we have been getting phone calls and e-mails thanking us for the great work!
One woman actually said to me "we really love our trees around here, we even had one braced to save it" (she was totally clueless to the fact that I had done it and knew that she had zero involvement)

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Interesting, though my gut tells me that that 4x4 support is insufficient for the load. Or is it more of a chock to reduce movement there?

Were any calculations done?

 

[OTG BOSTON]

Interesting, though my gut tells me that that 4x4 support is insufficient for the load. Or is it more of a chock to reduce movement there?

Were any calculations done?

No calculations, just wing it in there. I figured the amout of weight I took off in the first place was probably enough to reduce the stress. The prop is there to be a "prop"

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Definately do not like the brace, not strong enough.

 

[Dadatwins]

I would have to agree I think placing the 'prop' there could open up some liability. Do not see that post offering any support, only decoration. If the tree is going to be braced then it should be braced with something and in such a way that it will offer support for the tree. Sadly in our litigious society someone might look at that 'prop' as an admission of fault.

 

[treeseer]

Looks like you did some major reduction. The result in full leaf is quite good, but the wound looks unfortunately large That makes decay a concern eh? The great amount of weight and leverage removed SEEM to make a 4x4 superadequate, but I agree with the others that gathering more data would make a big difference in defensibility. Or at least pull on it with some kind of expert present to witness it; look at the crack when it is being pulled to the side?

Trees have been propped since way BC (before chainsaws). Fine arboricultural strategy. I like the double buttress design, a flying buttress above and a buttress like a trunk flare below. Looks kinda like a tree, abstractly...?

 

[nytreeman]

Good job OTG The tree looks alot better,being cut back and alot lighter.It will probably will be fine for awhile with some upkeep and cutting,but I would worry about being held accountable if something happened to someone in the park even remotely related to the tree, being a willow with a cracked stem,it is a very weak wooded tree to start with,and its being braced,it is like an admission that the tree is a danger,I'd worry about the liability if it were me.

 

[nytreeman]

I have a willow job this week myself,2 big overgrown weeping willows in a wet back yard ,hanging over 4 properties with fences,pools,they have lots of dying wood but they don't want the trees removed because they do I'd imagine help with the water. Ive limbed them two or three times after storms removing long twisted broken laterals and its getting to the point where now basically there just a bunch of really tall dying limbs all at the top of the leaders.So Im just going to cut /pollard every thing back to about 20' where they all forkout from the trunk it will be mostly 4" to 6" cuts and let it sucker out.Told them just let them be a giant bush they will be safer,lighter and with some trimming every few yrs they can be maintained and they can still work as giant sponges which was the reason they were planted.

 

[OTG BOSTON]

thanks for the replies

My long term plan is to keep reducing the tree to get it to a height that will not pose a threat to people on the pathways or benches.

The large wound at the bottom already has a fair amount of decay in it, when I took off the limb it was filled with water! I've been holding off on the "after" pruning pics because the reduction was so severe. I actually wanted to take more off the top, but the guys on the ground were saying it would look funny.

Thanks for all the input I really do appreciate getting feedback from all sides.

Here are the after pics..........don't be too harsh

 

[treeseer]

Thanks for the pics; I did not like the lower wound but if it was already decayed...and you can always snip the top later. Severe action but species- and site- and specimen-warranted.

 

[treeseer]

Im just going to cut /pollard every thing back to about 20' where they all forkout from the trunk it will be mostly 4" to 6" cuts and let it sucker out.

Yup back to the forks or maybe to the first nodes beyond the forks may get better closure. A tree like that would be interesting to experiment with, making both kind of cuts and assessing the response. My $ would be on the first node out from the fork cuts.

 

[Dadatwins]

Willow is the one tree that probably enjoyed getting that much cut off. Don't attack Mr. Mass, see the smiley up there? I see in the second picture a new willow planted, hopefully it will fill in before the total demise
of the current tree.