Tulip Poplar with hollow base

[arathol]

Thanks for your thoughts arathol. I've been thinking about the exact same thing regarding the guardrail. If I am the sole owner of that land then why did they install a guardrail on it? I also mentioned the fact that the guardrail does not go in front of the tree and that a truck sticking it could knock it down to the Chief Surveyor.

One other thing...about that guard rail....
Make sure you thoroughly discuss this with the municipality. Right now the tree is more or less protecting the terminal end of the installation. If you remove the tree, the guard rail will become a real hazard to traffic. With the tree gone, any car that might have hit the tree (and it looks like that has happened more than once) will now be impaled on the beam rail. If you remove the tree from the County right of way, and there is a accident at that location resulting in serious injuries or damage, as the person who removed the tree you may be named in any legal action resulting from such a crash.

 

[Captain Bruce]

I have this very large mature tulip poplar on my property. We thought it was in the county right of way (it touches a county road) but they informed me that it is my problem. If it fell down at the right angle it would take out my house.

It has a big hole right at the base. Not sure what from. Looks old. Tree is not dead. It is budding now and leafs out fully.

Wondering if this is something I should be looking to remove urgently. My instinct says yes but I don't know anything about large trees like this. Trying to get someone out here to give me a professional opinion has been very difficult.

Opinions welcome. Thank you!


Look

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Look at it from the trees point. You see a cavity, yet do you look up?
. You see a healthy old tree, a beautiful canopy, and a Flowering display that many folks only see in photos. That Old Liperdon isn't going to fall over anytime soon. Its got more people, like you, to please with its flowers.......

 

[Captain Bruce]

The tree was a twin, how deep into the stump is the cavity?

Look at those yeahs! Must be people who support their families, by de-foresting America........

 

[sps46]

Look at it from the trees point. You see a cavity, yet do you look up?
. You see a healthy old tree, a beautiful canopy, and a Flowering display that many folks only see in photos. That Old Liperdon isn't going to fall over anytime soon. Its got more people, like you, to please with its flowers.......

I love trees. I grow them. This looms above my home on an embankment and is on a 1 lane road that receives 2 way traffic unprotected by guardrail and above a power line that supplies my little village electricity. Taking down trees of this age isn't a light decision for me. I've sought a variety of opinions.

 

[sps46]

Look at it from the trees point. You see a cavity, yet do you look up?
. You see a healthy old tree, a beautiful canopy, and a Flowering display that many folks only see in photos. That Old Liperdon isn't going to fall over anytime soon. Its got more people, like you, to please with its flowers.......

What is a Liperdon?

 

[arathol]

Look at it from the trees point. You see a cavity, yet do you look up?
. You see a healthy old tree, a beautiful canopy, and a Flowering display that many folks only see in photos. That Old Liperdon isn't going to fall over anytime soon. Its got more people, like you, to please with its flowers.......

Oh please......Its trees like this that kill people.....I've seen so many trees like this, even with zero outward sign of problems, just fall over because they were rotted through at the base. Oh its so pretty......who cares? Its still rotted out at the base and is a hazard. Best to remove it before it causes a problem, not after....

 

[TheJollyLogger]

What is a Liperdon?

Don't feed the trolls...

 

[sps46]

Don't feed the trolls...

Oh got it. That's real niche trolling.

 

[ChuckMI]

A pipe is hollow. Does that mean it is weak? The strength of a tree is in the circumference, not the interior. You say this tree is healthy. My answer to your question of whether this is urgent is 'no".

 

[uniballer]

A pipe is hollow. Does that mean it is weak? The strength of a tree is in the circumference, not the interior. You say this tree is healthy. My answer to your question of whether this is urgent is 'no".

If you notch out one side of a 2" schedule 40 pipe with one end embedded in concrete you can bend it and break it off with hand pressure. The intact tube is strong, but it doesn't take all that much missing material (in the same way that the tree is rotted out) to make it weak.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

A pipe is hollow. Does that mean it is weak? The strength of a tree is in the circumference, not the interior. You say this tree is healthy. My answer to your question of whether this is urgent is 'no".

Certified Tree Risk Assessor, are you?

 

[chipper1]

Look at it from the trees point. You see a cavity, yet do you look up?
. You see a healthy old tree, a beautiful canopy, and a Flowering display that many folks only see in photos. That Old Liperdon isn't going to fall over anytime soon. Its got more people, like you, to please with its flowers.......

Look at those yeahs! Must be people who support their families, by de-foresting America........

A pipe is hollow. Does that mean it is weak? The strength of a tree is in the circumference, not the interior. You say this tree is healthy. My answer to your question of whether this is urgent is 'no".

Wow, I'm feeling a bit embarrassed to say I'm living in Michigan today, with the comments coming from you two michiganders.
But yeah, I wouldn't worry about it...probably be better to let nature take it's course .

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Wow, I'm feeling a bit embarrassed to say I'm living in Michigan today, with the comments coming from you two michiganders.
But yeah, I wouldn't worry about it...probably be better to let nature take it's course .
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It's been a while, don't remember the full checklist, but let's see, just from the pictures...
1. Hollow
2.exposed hollow at the base with visible rot .
3. Rot extending into root system.
4.50% of root system compromised under asphalt or concrete.
4. Undesirable lean or unbalanced canopy? Unknown.
5. Valuable structure or roadway within fall path? Check.

 

[chipper1]

It's been a while, don't remember the full checklist, but let's see, just from the pictures...
1. Hollow
2.exposed hollow at the base with visible rot .
3. Rot extending into root system.
4.50% of root system compromised under asphalt or concrete.
4. Undesirable lean or unbalanced canopy? Unknown.
5. Valuable structure or roadway within fall path? Check.

I've heard some of that before .
Here's another, twin stem mulberry, 36" at the base, just missed the garage.

Came thru the back gate lol.

 

[Captain Bruce]

One other thing...about that guard rail....
Make sure you thoroughly discuss this with the municipality. Right now the tree is more or less protecting the terminal end of the installation. If you remove the tree, the guard rail will become a real hazard to traffic. With the tree gone, any car that might have hit the tree (and it looks like that has happened more than once) will now be impaled on the beam rail. If you remove the tree from the County right of way, and there is a accident at that location resulting in serious injuries or damage, as the person who removed the tree you may be named in any legal action resulting from such a crash.

The County would extend that guard rail immediately.

 

[chipper1]

The County would extend that guard rail immediately.

Not if it were mine and they expected me to pay to remove it, as soon as it was removed I would have it ground as deep as possible and I'd plant another tree right there!
You must be the kind of person that would put up a guard rail so a tree could not be planted, your type disgusts me .

 

[ATH]

Every state is different...so I'm not saying I know the answer here, but food for thought:
1) just because it is your property doesn't mean there isn't a public ROW. That is why it is a ROW and not simply public property.
2) Just because they SAY they aren't responsible, doesn't mean they aren't responsible. Frankly, they may not know they are.
3) If you really want to push back, try this: "After gathering information from you and reviewing the situation, I would like the guardrail removed from my property within 2 weeks. If you do not remove it by then, I will remove it and retain all materials at my own discretion. Failure to reply in writing will be taken as tacit approval for such removal." They'll quickly explain that it is their ROW to which you should immediately agree...and discuss all responsibilities that come with that.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

The County would extend that guard rail immediately.

Yeah, lights and sirens, the emergency guardrail response crew will be right on it...

 

[Cricket]

Don't feed the trolls...

Anyway, it's either an ancient aquatic dinosaur, or a poor shot at Liriodendron.

 

[arathol]

Yeah, lights and sirens, the emergency guardrail response crew will be right on it...

Yeah, but not until an on-site inspection is done, results of that inspection are sent to the engineers for review, environmental and average daily traffic studies are done, the engineers complete the review and recommend the proper new terminal end treatment for that application, the engineering recommendation gets sent for approval to the local town managers office, all the parts for the installation are purchased, the project is put out to bid, and a qualified (low bid) vendor is secured to install the new guard rail. Then, a work zone safety review is done and a work zone plan is designed, the local call-before-you-dig people gat called, all the local utilities show up to mark out underground facilities, the local cops are hired for traffic control, work zone set up, then its time for a coffee break......
No, really......I'm serious about most of that......thats why the county doesn't want to touch it. A simple tree removal could open a can of worms that may end up costing thousands of dollars.....