HomeMy WebLinkAbout24 - Arborist Letter (Tree Transplanting Comments)FORESTRY AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS
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Olympia, WA 98501
URBANIRURAL FORESTRY TREE APPRAISAL HAZARD TREE ANALYSIS
RIGHT-OF-WAYS VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES CONTRACT FORESTERS
Member of International Society of Arboriculture and Society of American Foresters
January 25, 2017 Luke Randles, P.E. PACLAND 1505 Westlake Ave N., Suite 305 Seattle, WA 98109 RE: Renton Firestone – Potential for Transplanting Existing Spruce Trees Onsite Dear Mr. Randles:
The Sitka spruces range from 10 to 26 inches DBH. This means their caliper at 12 inches above the ground line are more like 16 to 35 or more inches diameter. These are too large to move with the size of
tree spades (90 inch spades) that exist in western Washington and Oregon. They would not survive. For a tree this size, they would need to be dug and a box built around the root system. I expect that cost
to be in excess of $26,000 per tree. Spruce is a shallow rooted tree species, and given the marginal health of these trees, their large size, and the gravelly texture of the soil - I would suggest the likelihood of survival of one of these spruces to be 'poor to zero', even with good follow-up care. I owned 1/2 of a big tree moving company from 2002 to 2016 (Tree Movers Northwest, Inc.), so I have a great deal of experience moving large trees. I would never move a spruce larger than 6 inches DBH, and then it would need to be a specimen quality tree, and, have serious and dedicated aftercare for at least 2 years.
My suggestion is to plant new trees of a better species - e.g. western red cedar. In 10 years there will be healthy, beautiful trees on site, instead of dead or dying spruce trees that have become infected with needlecast disease due to stress.
Please give me a call if you have questions.
Respectfully submitted, Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc.
Galen M. Wright, ACF, ASCA ISA Board Certified Master Arborist No. PN-129 Certified Forester No. 44
ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified