Davey Tree Flipbooks

T o organizations concerned with the comfort and wellness of clients and visitors, retaining the integrity of surrounding greenspaces is also important. Nestled within 86 wooded acres, Cleveland Clinic's Twinsburg Family Health & Surgery Center is a state-of-the-art facility with staff concerned about the well-being of its patients. For years, the Clinic envisioned building an on- site walking trail to benefit patients and visitors. Thanks to a donation from the Razinger family, that vision developed into what would be the 1.4-mile Razinger Family Community Trail. But the Clinic's property is surrounded by wetlands under a conservation easement— protected from further development. The reason? The land measures up to a category three wetland, with more native plants, healthy hydrology conditions, few invasive plants and scarce disturbances. Only special permission from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the environmental covenant holder, Land Conservancy of Ohio, could grant the Clinic access to developing the space occupying and surrounding the wetland. They needed a contractor that not only performs outstanding services but also understands the necessity to protect unique environments and human interaction with nature. Fortunately, the Clinic found the perfect candidate. STEPPING IN. Davey demonstrated the ability to implement the Clinic's vision within Ohio EPA mitigation rules, but also to address several other project needs. "Because of the environmental impact, the Clinic couldn't pick just anyone," says Regional Business Development Manager Frank Monteleone. "We proved we could overcome project complexities and still keep the Clinic compliant, thanks to our extensive resources." Davey offered the ability to provide clearing and grubbing, construction and installation services via Commercial Landscape Services (CLS), 26 hazardous tree removals via Residential/Commercial (R/C) and wetlands delineation and permitting regulations compliance via Davey Resource Group (DRG). "We couldn't use synthetic materials, and only untreated wood could be used," says Corine Peugh, project manager for DRG. With proper funding in place and after experiencing a few weather set-backs, Davey finally received approval to move forward. PERSEVERANCE. Although Davey won the work in late 2014, a cold, wet winter delayed project kick off until spring 2015. "There was a lot of physical labor involved and a much tighter timeline," says Account Manager Jeff Blind, who met with Clinic representatives once a week to inform them about the project's progression. Before installation and throughout the project, DRG carefully curated all project steps and work responsibilities. Peugh and one other DRG employee—most often Biologist Trevor Vidic—were always on site to ensure materials remained outside of wetland boundaries and to help control invasive plant species. "We were not allowed to disturb areas out- side of the designated trail space," Peugh says. Because the area was so natural, Davey's small CLS crew had to start from square one, first lining the soon-to-be trail's path with tree branches to better visualize the result. "We had to determine how to navigate around certain features within the forested area," says Foreman Kyle Smedi. "But we had so much rain, progression was difficult." However, in the end, crews felt witnessing the project's progression was rewarding. "It was such a great environment to work in every day. It was definitely a good learning experience," Smedi says. PULLING OFF MANY HATS. The ability to leverage resources from multiple divisions ultimately made Davey the perfect candidate. "Our ability to offer so many different services is truly distinct," Monteleone says. Blind adds, "One of my favorite things about this project was the cooperation among three service lines; we went from nothing to creating an incredible trail." When the Cleveland Clinic decided to install a nature trail at one of its facilities, three Davey divisions stepped in. (Before) Frank Monteleone shows where the trail will lay upon completion. (After) Davey's Cleveland East CLS team lined the completed trail with logs. 6 | November/December 2015

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