[CANUFNET] Healthy tree definition

Thu Jan 28 08:37:14 EST 2010

Unbelievably well stated, 

________________________________

From: canufnet-bounces at list.web.net
[mailto:canufnet-bounces at list.web.net] On Behalf Of For Trees
Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2010 12:46 AM
To: 'Canadian Urban Forest Network'
Subject: Re: [CANUFNET] Healthy tree definition

With regard to Travis' comments, it seems to me that this wording leaves
it completely open to whatever  subjective interpretation your
inspectors may have on any particular day, with no recourse whatsoever
for the contractors or nurseries that have their trees rejected.  You
are basically saying that a tree must conform to your standards,
whatever they may be, right or wrong. 

In point of fact, trees are not normally high headed, and must be pruned
that way in the nursery. Such pruning is clearly detrimental to the
health of the tree, and in most cases, stunts the growth, reduces taper
and trunk strength, and invites disease and poor compartmentalization,
which can lead to trunk cracks, sunscald and several other defects that
I can think of. This is all well researched and documented in Alex
Shigo's book 'A New Tree Biology" 1989 and in "Modern Arboriculture."
1990. Other researchers such as Gilman have since written excellent
books on the topic of pruning and pruning trees for urban areas in the
nursery, which have been universally accepted by most of the rest of
North America and the world. 

And what of trees that do not normally have a central leader in the
Edmonton area? Trees like Green Ash, Mayday, Schubert, Amur Cherry  and
Ornamental Crabapples very rarely possess a "single dominant, well
developed leader." I can only imagine that very few otherwise healthy
trees of these varieties survive your inspection process!

Even if any particular Urban Forestry department actually knew what a
"healthy tree" was and could specify this in a way that was "not open to
interpretation", there is no guarantee that picking a tree simply on the
basis of "good" form will guarantee future good health, especially in a
place where trees are notoriously difficult to grow, such as the Western
Prairies. Planting methods are the single biggest factor influencing the
success of a tree. And while you are  perfectly right not to accept a
tree with obvious signs of abuse such as scrapes and broken branches, we
continue to plant the healthiest of trees in the worst of places and
blame the tree when it dies. Trees need room to grow both above and
below the ground to sustain themselves, and usually have neither in most
Urban Areas in the world today.

Fixating on a tree's form, especially when the form is entirely
unnatural to the species or variety,  certainly should never be
considered the only attribute of potential  good health!

We obviously need to rethink the whole notion of "tree health" when
Urban Areas are still in the design process.  I believe it is possible
to shape cities to conform to nature, but nature cannot be retrofitted
to fit our cities, if our cities are to be sustainable.

Food for thought.

Gerard Fournier

Board Certified Master Arborist #PR-0130BT

Tree Canada Community Advisor-Southern Alberta

President

For Trees Company Ltd.

1-877-390-TREE (Alberta toll-free)

http://www.fortrees.ca <http://www.fortrees.ca/> 

From: canufnet-bounces at list.web.net
[mailto:canufnet-bounces at list.web.net] On Behalf Of Travis Kennedy
Sent: January-27-10 4:17 PM
To: 'Canadian Urban Forest Network'
Subject: Re: [CANUFNET] Healthy tree definition

Our Design and Construction standards touch briefly on "healthy" but add
a number of other quality measurements to reinforce our intent:

Refer to section 02930 2.2 and 2.3  in Volume 5
<http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/PermitsLicences/D_and_
C_landscapsng.pdf> :  City of Edmonton Design and Construction
Standards.

A design review comment that we like to make on submitted drawings from
developers usually contains some or all of the wording below (this
particular case is in reference to deciduous blvd. material):

"All trees to be high headed and exhibit a full and uniform crown, with
a single dominant, well developed leader. Trees with broken or damaged
or missing leaders will not be accepted. All plant material must conform
to the City of Edmonton Design and Construction Standards." 

This comment in combination with the standard helps prevent confusion
about what is and isn't acceptable during our CCC / FAC inspection
process.

Regards, 

Travis Kennedy, BSc, AIT 
River Valley, Forestry and Environmental Services 
12304 - 107 Street 
Edmonton, Alberta 
T5J 2R7 
p 780 496 4954 

	-----Original Message-----
	From: canufnet-bounces at list.web.net
[mailto:canufnet-bounces at list.web.net] On Behalf Of Kowalyk, Bohdan
(MNR)
	Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 7:05 PM
	To: Canadian Urban Forest Network
	Subject: Re: [CANUFNET] Healthy tree definition

	There are various tree classification systems depending on
intent.  For some purposes, it may be appropriate to require
confirmation by a qualified person, subject to an authority's approval,
that a healthy tree is not likely to degrade in health and functional
attributes for at least the next 15 years.

	Bohdan

________________________________

	From: canufnet-bounces at list.web.net
[mailto:canufnet-bounces at list.web.net] On Behalf Of
SVescio at thunderbay.ca
	Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 1:02 PM
	To: canufnet at list.web.net
	Subject: [CANUFNET] (no subject)

	Hello out there, 
	Is there an accepted or standard definition for the term
"healthy tree"?  We would like to revise the wording for acceptable
condition of trees at final inspection and do not want the health of a
tree open to general interpretation.  Thanks. 

	Shelley Vescio RPF 
	City of Thunder Bay 
	(807) 625-2473 
	(807) 625-3258 (fax) 

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