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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEx 12_Arborist Tree Assessment.pdf WASHINGTON FORESTRY CONSULTANTS, INC. FORESTRY AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS W F C I O: 360/943-1723 C: 360/561-4407 9136 Yelm Hwy SE Olympia, WA 98513 URBAN/RURAL FORESTRY • TREE APPRAISAL • TREE RISK ASSESSMENT RIGHT-OF-WAYS • VEGETATION MANAGEMENT • FOREST/TREE MGT. PLANS • EXPERT TESTIMONY Member of International Society of Arboriculture and Society of American Foresters November 18, 2021 Brianne Tomlin Renton School District #403 7812 South 124th Street Seattle, WA 98178 RE: Charles Lindbergh High School Tree Assessment Dear Ms. Tomlin: We have evaluated 11 trees on the Charles Lindbergh High School campus at 16426 128th Avenue SE in Renton. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine the condition of the trees, assess the impact from proposed improvements, and make recommendations for cultural care or removal. A site visit was conducted on October 26, 2021. Findings and Recommendations A portion of the Lindbergh High School is being redeveloped. Trees adjacent to the renovation were assessed to determine potential impacts during construction. Assessed tree species include Norway maple (Acer platanoides), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), and flowering plum (Prunus cerasifera). Three of the Norway maple trees are located in planting islands in the parking lot. The remaining trees are located in the landscaping of the school. The assessed tree diameters ranged between 5- and 22-inches diameter at breast height (DBH). All but three of the trees are in ‘Fair’ or above condition. No damage to the surrounding hardscape was observed. Tree #’s 1 - 3 are all Norway maples in ‘Good’ condition. The trees have ample growing space in the planter islands. The trees should be crown raised to 15 ft. above the ground to provide clearance to the adjacent parking spots. No other work is recommended. Tree #4 is a 20-inch Norway maple in ‘Fair’ condition. One of its large branches extends towards the school over an entrance to the building. There has been a previous failure of a large side branch creating a sizable open wound, see photo 2 in Attachment 2. The end weight of the branch makes it vulnerable to branch failure. This branch should be pruned back to a suitable lateral branch to reduce the branch end weight over the school entrance. Lindbergh High School Tree Assessment Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Page 2 Tree #’s 6 and 7 are Norway maples in ‘Fair’ condition. They were planted in raised circular planting containers. The roots of both trees have escaped the containers through the bottom. Tree #7 has a small dead branch that needs removal. Tree #’s 9 – 11 are located in a small courtyard area between the school buildings. The trees are in ‘Poor’ or worse conditions. The quaking aspen trees have dead tops and major dieback in the crowns. The flowering plum has been aggressively pruned leaving a tree with poor form and a crown of sprout growth. The plants growing in the understory of the area are resprouts of bigleaf maple, quaking aspen and flowering plum. None of the trees in this area are suitable for retention. All the vegetation in the area should be removed and replanted. There were two more small areas with similar trees but these areas were not marked for assessment in the provided scope of work. The trees in this area are in ‘Poor’ condition and should also be removed. Table 1: Summary of Evaluated Tree at Lindbergh High School. Tree # Species DBH (in) Condition Minimum Root Protection Zone Radius (ft.) Dripline Radius (ft.) Notes Recommended Work 1 Norway Maple 6 Good 5 10 No Work 2 Norway Maple 6 Good 5 12 No Work 3 Norway Maple 7 Good 6 11 No Work 4 Norway Maple 20 Fair 13 27 Remove end weight off broken branch Prune one broken branch 5 Norway Maple 17 Fair 12 21 No Work 6 Norway Maple 13 Fair 7 13 Roots have escaped below planter box No Work 7 Norway Maple 10 Fair 7 12 Roots have escaped below planter box. Prune 1 dead limb Lindbergh High School Tree Assessment Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Page 3 Tree # Species DBH (in) Condition Minimum Root Protection Zone Radius (ft.) Dripline Radius (ft.) Notes Recommended Work 8 Douglas- fir 22 Fair 12 19 No Work 9 Quaking Aspen 5 Poor 5 5 Dead top Remove Tree 10 Quaking Aspen 6 Poor 6 10 Dead top Remove Tree 11 Flowering Plum 5 Very Poor 5 8 Poorly pruned tree Remove Tree Summary Eleven trees were evaluated at Lindbergh High School. Eight of the trees are in ‘Fair’ or above condition and can be retained based on their physical condition. It is our recommendation that 3 trees in the courtyard areas be removed and replaced and 2 additional trees receive pruning to remove deadwood. Please give us a call if you have any questions. Respectfully submitted, Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Galen M. Wright, ACF, ASCA Joshua Sharpes ISA Bd. Certified Master Arborist PN-129BU Professional Forester Certified Forester No. 44 ISA Certified Arborist®, ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified Municipal Specialist, PN- 5939AM ASCA Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualified ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified Lindbergh High School Tree Assessment Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Page 4 Attachment 1. Location of Evaluated Trees at Lindbergh High School (King County iMap) 1 Location of Healthy Tree Location of Unhealthy Tree 9 - 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 Additional Removals 8 Lindbergh High School Tree Assessment Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Page 5 Attachment #2. Photo Log (WFCI 10-26-21) Photo 1. View of assessed tree #1 at Lindberg High School. Photo 3. View of tree #5 at Lindbergh High School. Photo 2. View of broken branch needing removal on tree #4. Photo 4. View of tree #8 at Lindbergh High School. Pruning Cut Lindbergh High School Tree Assessment Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Page 6 Photo 5. View of tree #’s 6 & 7 at Lindbergh High School. Photo 6. View of tree #’s 9 – 11 at Lindbergh High School. 9 10 11 6 7 Lindbergh High School Tree Assessment Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Page 7 Attachment 3. Assumptions and Limiting Conditions. 1) Any legal description provided to the Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. is assumed to be correct. Any titles and ownership's to any property are assumed to be good and marketable. No responsibility is assumed for matters legal in character. Any and all property is appraised or evaluated as though free and clear, under responsible ownership and competent management. 2) It is assumed that any property is not in violation of any applicable codes, ordinances, statutes, or other governmental regulations, unless otherwise stated. 3) Care has been taken to obtain all information from reliable sources. All data has been verified insofar as possible; however, Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. can neither guarantee nor be responsible for the accuracy of information. 4) Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. shall not be required to give testimony or to attend court by reason of this report unless subsequent contractual arrangements are made, including payment of an additional fee for such services as described in the fee schedule and contract of engagement. 5) Loss or alteration of any part of this report invalidated the entire report. 6) Possession of this report or a copy thereof does not imply right of publication or use for any purpose by any other than the person to whom it is addressed, without the prior expressed written or verbal consent of Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. 7) Neither all or any part of the contents of this report, nor copy thereof, shall be conveyed by anyone, including the client, to the public through advertising, public relations, news, sales or other media, without the prior expressed written or verbal consent of Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. -- particularly as to value conclusions, identity of Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc., or any reference to any professional society or to any initialed designation conferred upon Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. as stated in its qualifications. 8) This report and any values expressed herein represent the opinion of Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc., and the fee is in no way contingent upon the reporting of a specified value, a stipulated result, the occurrence neither of a subsequent event, nor upon any finding in to reported. 9) Sketches, diagrams, graphs, and photographs in this report, being intended as visual aids, are not necessarily to scale and should not be construed as engineering or architectural reports or surveys. 10) Unless expressed otherwise: 1) information contained in this report covers only those items that were examined and reflects the condition of those items at the time of inspection; and 2) the inspection is limited to visual examination of accessible items without dissection, excavation, probing, or coring. There is no warranty or guarantee, expressed or implied, that problems or deficiencies of the tree or other plant or property in question may not arise in the future. Note: Even healthy trees can fail under normal or storm conditions. The only way to eliminate all risk is to remove all trees within reach of all targets. Annual monitoring by an ISA Certified Arborist or Certified Forester will reduce the potential of tree failures. It is impossible to predict with certainty that a tree will stand or fail, or the timing of the failure. It is considered an ‘Act of God’ when a tree fails, unless it is directly felled or pushed over by man’s actions.