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Davey Bulletin May-June 2019

The Davey Tree Expert Company provides residential and commercial tree service and landscape service throughout North America. Read our Flipbooks for helpful tips and information on proper tree and lawn care.

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15 May/June 2019 | THE DAVEY BULLETIN EAGLE SCULPTURE SAVED FROM COLLAPSE The wings of a wooden eagle may yet soar above the skies of Fort Myers, Florida, thanks to the combined efforts of Davey employees from the Naples Residential/Commercial office and the Davey Institute. A live oak tree, believed to date to the late 1700s, transformed into a sculpture of an eagle taking flight when southwest Florida artist Marlin Miller used his chainsaw to turn the dying tree into a work of art. The tree stood on the Lee County Courthouse lawn, and Lee County Commissioners had chosen Miller in 2011 to sculpt the tree after learning it had become infested with termites. Miller's work, combined with the addition of rods and braces, had been meant to preserve the historic tree for as long as possible. A.D. Ali, manager of technical services at the Davey Institute, said the county approached him in April 2018 because the base of the tree sculpture had rotted and posed a risk of the tree collapsing. Ali said the county wanted to cut down the tree, which stood about 40 feet tall, to evaluate it and see if it could be salvaged and eventually re-installed on the courthouse lawn. "It took about 45 minutes to cut the base with an oversized bar," Ali said. "We ruined a couple of chains because there was a chunk of concrete in the center from an old cavity filling." The stump measured 7 feet in diameter. The sculpture weighted 16,000 pounds. Once it was cut, a crane operator lowered it onto a flatbed so the county could have it hauled to a warehouse for examination and storage. Ali said the wings of the eagle sculpture showed signs of decay, and the stump had evidence of Ganoderma basal rot. "Hopefully the decay can be addressed and the statue can be re-erected in the same spot on a different base," he said. The Davey crew poses with the eagle sculpture before removing it. Pictured are: Rich Wiland, district manager, Naples office; Derek Harris, sales arborist; Ethan Jaques, foreman; John Jaques, foreman; and A.D. Ali, manager of technical services. The eagle tree sculpture is lowered onto a flatbed trailer.

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