9
May/June 2019
|
THE DAVEY BULLETIN
EXPERTISE
SAYING GOODBYE TO A BIG POPLAR
The Arborguard-Charlotte office removed a 250-year-old eastern yellow poplar
tree that suffered root damage at the Historic Duke Mansion.
The removal of the tree was a challenge because the tree was located between
the street and the mansion, Barry Gemberling, district manager, Arborguard
Charlotte, said. There also were shrubs and gardens beneath the tree and
powerlines nearby. A crane assisted with the removal.
"We probably could have preserved the tree for another couple of years because
we were doing annual Resistograph
®
testing on the tree," Gemberling said.
"But the Lynnwood Foundation, which operates the mansion grounds, was not
comfortable with keeping a tree that wasn't healthy where they were having
wedding receptions."
Prior to Arborguard's care of the poplar, the tree had been in need of restorative
care, Gemberling said. The tree received numerous services, including soil
injection therapy, soil compaction reduction, risk assessment using the
Resistograph
®
, pest management, disease management, pruning when
needed, cabling, bracing and lightning protection.
"We did everything we could to maintain and preserve it; but ultimately the
owner of this tree was not comfortable with any risk considering the constant
activities under its canopy and on its critical root zone areas," Gemberling said.
Chris Wermter, foreman, standing inside
the stump of the eastern yellow poplar
Arborguard removed. As Barry Gemberling
said, even though the tree had a hollow spot,
it still had adequate sound wood thickness,
which means the tree could still transport
nutrients from the roots to the canopy.
This was determined from the annual
Resistograph
®
testing. It's not uncommon
for a tree to stay alive even though the center
is hollow and rotted out.
