preserve this willow?

A while ago I posted here asking about props. This is the tree I had in mind at the time. I'm now starting to wonder if a prop is enough. What do you guys think?

HI OTG,

is this a side job, or one for the municipality? Just wondering because here they would not let me prop a tree like that because of liability issues... you know the story.

It looks like you could prop it, but how will it look after? the prop in the middle of the lawn and all. The other issue might be how;after the prop is weighted; will the wind forces change on the tree?

Just my experience but should anything go wrong after, right or wrong, you will get blamed (if muni work).:bang: With a removal there is no danger of that.

Let us know what you decide and some pics of the propping if you go that way.

What does that basal cavity look like, or is it just reaction wood i see in the shadows?

Is there anything to do light cables to the left and right, combining it with a tripod?

big question is strenth loss in stem and prognosis for increase of same.
build a bed around the prop and train vines up it to lessen the atractive nuisance and aesthetic concerns.
Propo can be ornamental/sculptural and a landscape asset.

Justice said:

should anything go wrong after, right or wrong, you will get blamed (if muni work).:bang: With a removal there is no danger of that.

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well you can be blamed for unnecessarily destroying a municipal asset.

This is a City owned tree in a park. In the strange way city gvt. works this particular park is maintained by a private citizens group. They have hired a landscaper to take care of the place and they pay him. He has been doing it for 15 years now. There is a slight crack in the trunk, which prompted him to recommend immediate removal. He also took a few limbs off in a weak attempt to lighten the weight. I am not one to put down other professionals in the business so I bit my tounge. If this guy had been pruning correctly all along it wouldn't have been an issue. I found myself defending my experience and education against a landscraper with little clue about trees.

The site cannot be accessed by trucks and the loss of this nice shade tree would have dramatically affected the use of the park. Besides I have to remove enough trees on the streets every year, I jump at the chance to preserve one (even if it is a willow)

What the hell, jam in a big hunk of pressure treated wood or a steel I-beam, probably work for years. Can't be that big of a deal.

Given the cicumstances; I would recommennd a seriosly aggresive reduction of the leader in question, and forget the prop there is to much liability with a park involved.

I guess you could get in trouble for destroying a municipal asset. I was referring to my situation I guess, because I work directly for the town, and I am the one who decides what comes down, and I do the enforcement as well.


I concur with you OTG on wanting to preserve as many as you can. I guess my concern as you stated would be again be defending your self against someone with little or no experience if anything goes wrong.

If this tree were in a private back yard there are many ways that you could address bracing artistically and effectively with a strong likelihood of success for many years to come.

HOWEVER, with its location, as sad as this is to say, I would walk away from the situation unless hired to do a removal. Dealing with multiple entities is always a problem. Even doing a removal you probably won't get away clean without hard feelings from someone.

DMc

I noticed the pics were labeled "before" that leads me to believe there is an after.....................

I would agree that little park would not be used much with out the shade of that tree. I would suggest a few 6x6 set up as a support would get a few more years out of it. I would also suggest getting another tree planted as a replacement.

close up of the crack

I d give that a 10 out of 10 on hazard tree grade. Esp if that is a sidewalk below it (target). Cut it down , grind it and replant a w willow if everyone objects. Before long it will be right back up there w no cavity.

AlpineJesus said:

Dude, that crack is huge;cut the freeken thing down, you left wing hippies in boston never want to cut any trees down, evreything is save the trees.

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Yup, we're all hippies, have another beer:notrolls2:

AlpineJesus said:

Dude, that crack is huge; .

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I agree, but the
big question is strenth loss in stem and prognosis for increase of same.
Did you measure the cavity and the wall width?

It looks like it needs support really bad, or replacement is an option.:taped:

The crack has actuallly been there for "years" (I'm told). There appears to be enough sound wood around the cavity for me to at least attempt to preserve it, although I have not done a resistograph test.........

Interesting to me that no one has mentioned the species of tree as being a factor. I could cut this thing off at 3' above the ground and it would sucker back out and live for another 100 years! Structural pruning anyone??? anyone???

I just figured that species factor was moot.

Coppice would be a good option that came to mind, but it was not really on topic.

Maybe several a-frames would help, but this is one where decay of the wall is inevitable. More pruning will stress the tree more, less will add more weight an leverage.

My thought is that this being suppressed canopy with so much leverage, thinning to reduce weight would not be a reasonable option. Maybe pollarding at around 3 inches or so, with some sort of guy system.

Add in a recommendation for a tower cable anchor in back, or request permission from the building owner to cable into it (yeah right).

This is the type of report where you need to give the decision makers several options so that they can do their job and assume liability.

There is high risk of failure, and a high target value (as mentioned above). With Salix babilonica you could have a 20 ft tree in 10 years, if the coppice is properly managed.

OTG BOSTON said:

There is a slight crack in the trunk, which prompted him to recommend immediate removal.

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You asked for advice so I will give a little more, but if you already have your mind made up on what you want to do....

I see this statement by the park maintenance man as a primary obstacle. If the people he has been working with trust his judgment and you come in with a different recommendation and something does go wrong in the future, the level of responsibility you acceptable may be too high. I don't think it is a question of whether the tree can be saved, with a little head scratching and imagination with artistic flair, I think it is a no brainer. But you can't discount the target zone during this assessment. That's why I originally said that if it were a backyard tree with a private individual who had control over the use and circumstances, I would have an entirely different recommendation.

Basically, you can't separate the tree from the environment during an assessment. Good luck.

DMc

Ive trimmed and removed lots of willows around here,upstate ny,and have seen them split in half with alot less of a cracking or stress than that one has thats quite a lean. Id at least cut it back and let it sucker out then keep the suckers thinned or trimmed Im not really fond of willows,giant weeds,and know of 2 different guys nearby that have been hurt in willows and 1 died taking a leader without cutting a correct notch, hit in the neck when it split and barberchaired.

Thanks for the replies fellas. I am definately comfortable with my decision to try to preserve this tree. Keep in mind, a large part of my job is hazard tree assessment in high traffic, high value target areas. If this tree were "about to fall over" as the landscraper who was supposed to maintain it for the past 15 years said. It would have blown over in the 50+mph winds we had two weeks ago.

As some of you have guessed, I have already done some work on this tree. nytreeman is on the right track as far as what I though should be done.

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