After receiving a number of emails inquiring as to a number of trees being cut down at The Richardson-Olmsted Complex, we reached out to Consulting ISA Certified Arborist Joe Territo to explain the tree care and removal process.
From Joe Territo:
Emergency landscape stabilization to address the many historic and original trees (and provide public safety by attending to the dead and dying trees) is underway and will be complete May, 2011.
The original landscape of the complex was designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted, so fittingly the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy (BOPC) was asked by the Richardson Center Corporation to assist. As the BOPC Consulting ISA Certified Arborist, I was hired to assess the condition and health of the existing trees, write specifications for proper tree care for the bid process according to industry standards, and oversee the work. Brian Dold, Landscape Architect with BOPC also contributed by assessing the “fit” with an Olmstedian landscape. The Cultural Landscape Report completed by Heritage Landscapes in 2008 provided information on the history and existing conditions. Also working on the project are the Dormitory Authority of the State of NY as the Project Manager and Foit-Albert Associates as the architectural and engineering firm.
Much to our amazement, a few original trees from the original 1800s Olmsted landscape still remain in good condition and others (after proper tree care) will be a great asset to the complex reuse and the South Lawn landscape design – underway by Andropogon Associates. Thirty-five varieties of trees will remain, including European beech, black walnut, catalpa, cherry, crabapple, dogwood, green ash, ginkgo, horse-chestnut, honey-locust, Japanese lilac, katsura tree, Kentucky coffee tree, linden, magnolia, Norway maple, pine, pin oak, red maple, red oak, sugar maple, spruce, sycamore, white ash, white oak, and yellowwood. Two amazing trees to view are a white oak with a 60-inch DBH (trunk -diameter at breast height) with a 130-foot-wide canopy and an 80-foot-high green ash with a DBH of 65 inches. Another wonderful area has a mature grove of Norway spruce.
^ White oak with a 60-inch DBH (trunk -diameter at breast height) with a 130-foot-wide canopy
Every single tree was meticulously assessed according to ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) standards. A professional tree assessment consists of two parts: biological and structural. The biological assessment investigates the living cells (cambium layer) of the tree, most of which are located just under the bark and the overall leaf or bud production. Both may appear to be healthy. However, the structural assessment looks for defects in the tree’s inner structure, or heartwood, to check for decay. Defects also can include lightning strikes, fractures, poor branch structure, included bark, root decay, general decline, storm damage, and disease and insect infestation, which can also contribute to the overall assessment. If the structural assessment shows that the majority of a tree’s wood compartmentalization is unsound, it is deemed hazardous. Trees in this condition are a definite liability; failure may result in fatalities. These trees must be removed for public safety. Several of the trees in this category have been dead or in serious decline for many years. The only original American elm on the property started flagging and contacted Dutch Elm disease last summer, it unfortunately also needs removal.
The remaining trees all need proper care which is being performed only by ISA Certified Arborists, who will follow all industry standards. These include the ANSI A300, the Best Management Practices for tree care, and the Supplemental Tree Support Systems. These trees will receive the following tree care: proper pruning, fertilizing, cabling, bracing, guying, and propping. Trees that have shown signs of nutrient deficiencies will be fertilized. Trees with insect infestations will be inoculated with a micro-injection system. All ash species will be inoculated using the same system to protect them from the emerald ash borer threat (see post), in an effort to save as many trees as possible.
Please note that this project only includes the 42 acres to be acquired by the Richardson Center Corporation, an area located around the historic Richardson buildings and a portion of green space bordering Forest Ave and Buffalo State College.
Any questions can be directed to Joseph Territo at joe@bfloparks.org.
^ 80-foot-high green ash with a DBH of 65 inches
*By the end of 2011, The Richardson Center Corporation will have spent
$10 million to improve safety and prevent further deterioration of the
buildings and grounds. All the buildings and connectors at risk of
collapse have been stabilized. The $4 million abatement and cleaning,
the initial phase of the work to ready the Towers building and adjacent
wards for a developer and public access, has begun and will be compete
August, 2011. Masonry repairs, ventilation and roof repairs will be bid
this month and work will be complete in 2011. The electric work and
the permanent perimeter lighting was illuminated October, 2010. Any
questions regarding the overall Richardson Olmsted Complex project can
be directed to Monica Pellegrino Faix, Richardson Center Corporation
Project Coordinator, at monica@richardson-olmsted.com.