on a trip to pennsylvania to look at a loader backhoe we drove along interstate 87 in new jersey and for miles they have trees pruned like a disaster, 1 to 3 ft branch stubs sticking out everywhere, not like just a couple they missed but nearly none were trimmed near the trunk as standard practice and tree health would recomend. and some trees with branches cut off so much that i will be shocked if they live, im talking 18 inch diameter trees with like 4 branches with leaves left on them, and 20 or 30 long branch stubs all over! is this some kinda crazy arborist method, latest and greatest research indicates this will do better? or just a sever hack on the lowest bid? i mean as my signature line indicates i am not claiming to be an arborist, but i do know a little and have never seen this recomended anywhere
what did they do to the trees along rt 87 in NJ?
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Rftreeman
Addicted to ArboristSite
ok yea that sure could explain the poor practice, i never saw a machine like that before! still seems like alot of trees are gona die for sure with nearly all there limbs removed tho, infact there was atleast one i saw that had every single limb removed, why not just cut it down!
lego1970
ArboristSite Guru
On a petroleum pipeline clearance project I was on, we left stubs. BP wanted the trees cut exactly at 25' lateral from pipeline. If you went over 25' the land owner could and sometimes would charge BP for going past the right-a-way. If you didn't go far enough BP would make you go back and do it over. It was hard to leave 12" diameter stubs on white oaks but that how they wanted it. This one 2 mile section I was on hadn't been cleared since the line was put down back in the late 50's. There was massive stubs all over the place. Matter of fact there were a few leaning trees that I had to just cut in half right where they crossed the 25' line.
Rftreeman
Addicted to ArboristSite
you'd be surprised at how many of those trees live on to be trimmed again..
gotta have permission to cut it down..
RacerX
Addicted to ArboristSite
I've seen similar destruction along Rt 287/87 in New York State. One day I'll stop and take a photo or two. Rt 87 never makes it into New Jersey. Just curious did you mean 287?
Rftreeman
Addicted to ArboristSite
I've cut many trees like that with that machine, that machine is for production on ROW's where it would take days to climb the trees this machine can do it in a few hours so that's why you see this type of trimming, we only used it in rural areas that weren't assessable by bucket truck.
Dalmatian90
Addicted to ArboristSite
Just curious...
I understand keeping a pipeline ROW mowed. But why are they worried about the tree limbs encroaching? Is it just to make mowing / spraying brush inside the row easier?
I understand keeping a pipeline ROW mowed. But why are they worried about the tree limbs encroaching? Is it just to make mowing / spraying brush inside the row easier?
lego1970
ArboristSite Guru
Couple reasons,
They use airplanes every month or so to run down the pipelines to look things over. The airplane is looking for dead vegetation which could indicate a leak, log&brush jams on the pipe, when the pipe is crossing a creek or ditch, landslides, etc, etc. The FAA restricts the plane to maintain 500' above ground so they need a good clearing in order to see everthing good.
The area is cleared so it's easier to get equipment in there when repairs need to be done, which is quite often. Every so often they send a device down the pipeline that can detect corrosion on the pipe. Even little 2mm pits in the pipe can be detected, and when they come across that they send a crew to go out there and put what the call a "clockspring" on the pipe to stop the corrosion and reinforce the pipe. Large roots can move a pipe so they keep the right-a-way free of trees, and in some areas the pipe is only
12" under the ground so a large limb or tree could fall and possibly damage the line but that's generally more important when the pipe is exposed crossing a creek or ditch. The pipes are pretty strong but on 12" or 16" pipes it's pushing hundreds or maybe even thousands of gallons of heating oil, diesel, or gasoline per minute so a breech results in a lot of enivromental damage. It takes several minutes for the pressure guages at the recieving end to detect a loss big enough to signal Pumps in Tusla to shut down and the remote shut off valves located along the line to shut off. By the time the pumps shut down and the gates close you can have hundreds of miles of pipeline filled with oil,gas, draining at where the breech is. I don't think trees cause very many leaks. Normaly it's backhoes and trackhoes that accidently tear them up.
yea i think your correct its ny state, hadnt looked at the map before i posted, but yea 287/87 was the route we took. its there trees they can do whatever they want to them! i just couldnt understand the reasoning but after seeing the pole saw on steroids deal it makes alot more sense! i just couldnt picture anyone in a bucket truck doing it so wrong no matter how uneducated they were!
Dalmatian90
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thanks lego, that makes sense!
lego1970
ArboristSite Guru
Anytime. I like talking about it. It was a good gig.
Adkpk
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yes it's 87 the NYS Thruway between Newburgh and Harriman. And yes they are using that machine posted by Rftreeman. It looks like hell but I am pretty sure it's the easiest method to cut the trees back in order to widen the road. They do go back and clear up the mess in places. I do believe they are widening that section of road for the traffic they are expecting with the new Newburgh international airport.
