the Onebark blog

WGST Advises Homeowners to Inspect Trees

2011-04-06T15:04:00.002-04:00

Following Sunday night's strong winds across Atlanta , radio station WGST interviewed Susan Granberry of the Georgia Forestry Commission. The main question posed to Susan was: "what should people do if they are worried about their trees?"

Susan's answer? Simple. "Homeowners should immediately inspect their trees following a storm."

Excellent idea! We like that. In fact, we recommend regular tree inspections so that a property owner is prepared before any storms. If you have vary large trees, you should have them professionally inspected at least every 3 years. If you have never had your trees inspected, now is the time. A basic inspection costs less than the yearly maintenance inspections of your furnace - and a furnace is not likely to damage anything if it falls during a storm.

Tree Removal - Atlanta procedures

2011-03-10T12:16:00.002-05:00

Prior to making the decision to remove a tree, it is critical to determine whether the tree presents any kind of risk to your home or property. These steps are recommended to assure you are spending your money wisely and not wasting a valuable natural resource:

Have your entire property inspected by an unbiased arborist. You should pay to have this service completed. A consulting arborist is going to be concerned with assessing risk, and not selling you tree removal services. It is worth every penny.
Evaluate the impact the tree removal will have on your property. How will it change your landscape? Will it increase sunlight, open views, or create erosion problems? Will you need to spend additional resources in cleanup, landscaping, or replanting?
Investigate the local laws concerning tree removal. The Atlanta area has many municipal ordinances that regulate tree removal on private property. Contact your local office of Community Development or City Manager. Don't forget to refer to your community and HOA by-laws as well. Many golf-course communities also have covenants affecting the removal of trees and vegetation.

Onebark provides several affordable consulting packages for homeowners and community managers.

Onebark co-presents at Georgia Arborist Association

2010-01-20T20:57:00.002-05:00

Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of presenting with Specimen Tree's Robert Swanson. We gave a 1-hour primer on the basics of tree diagnosis. Rob taught an overview of tree energy systems, while I delved into the art of diagnosing tree pathology. Afterwards we enjoyed socializing with the Georgia Arborist Association's members. Please contact me if you would like the presentation notes.

Google Knol awards badge to Jesse Milton

2009-10-08T14:47:00.002-04:00

Company leader Jesse Milton has received a Top Viewed Author Award from Google Knol, a badge given to authors that have the highest number of pageviews. The award is partly a result of his work on the Dogwood Manual.

Sandy Springs

2009-06-09T11:21:00.004-04:00

We are excited to announce that Onebark is offering our services to the citizens and contractors in Sandy Springs! Starting now we can help:

- Draft documentation for tree removal permits
- Prepare Site Tree Conservation Plans for building permits and land disturbance
- Provide expert witness services
- Consult with homeowners
- Develop tree management plans and tree diagnosis reports

Call us at 678-344-6948 or submit a contact request.

Atlanta Storms - Part 3

2009-05-02T17:02:00.004-04:00

This chart shows the occurrences of defects in trees that failed (or broke in some way) during the April storms. These findings are from my own casual research:

Defect Visible - this refers to the trees that had a visible problem that indicated the tree was a risk

Defect Discoverable - these trees had a visible problem, but the problem was only identifiable through a full inspection and risk assessment

Defect Not Visible - these trees had a serious problem that predisposed them to failure, but the problem would not have been easily discovered, even by a professional. This includes problems such as root decay below the surface, or internal wood decay without external symptoms.

No Defect - this indicates that the tree did not have a predisposing defect that is normally associated with failure.

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Atlanta Storms - Part 2

2009-04-17T19:58:00.006-04:00

When storms cause damage over a wide geographical area, people tend to develop a general sense of apprehension, even fear, about trees. This is especially true for homeowners. Our trees grow very tall, and very quickly in Atlanta. They can be intimidating especially when you are standing under one.

To me a storm can seem like a wake-up call. Are my trees still safe? Will my house get it next time? After seeing how many trees failed this week, I made the decision to now remove a tree in my own yard - one that in the past, I've accepted a level of risk that was little higher than I would typically tolerate. But it is only one, and I have plenty left.

I wonder how many healthy trees will be removed because of fear. To conserve a natural resource requires planning and action, and that includes risk management. Risk management doesn't just mean that you remove all risks - it simply means you have decided what risks you are willing to tolerate, and you remove the risks that fall short of being acceptable to you. Sometimes that means getting help from someone who is willing and interested in helping you do just that.

How many of us are willing to accept the real risk of driving on the interstate and getting in an auto accident, just so that we can get to work every morning?

During my "post-storm" review of fallen trees, I found some really scary tree conditions that could have been discovered through a basic visual inspection. Other problems were not so obvious, and there lies the randomness in a storm event. In Part 3, I will be posting some graphs of my defective tree findings. Don't miss it!

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Atlanta Storms - Part 1

2009-04-16T20:17:00.008-04:00

Trees break. Trees snap. Trees fall.

Its the order of all things green. Trees are designed to grow, reproduce, and collapse. It is an inescapable fate.

This week's round of downdraft storms reminds us of the fragility of all plant life. Dr. Alex Shigo once called trees "the most massive, longest lived organisms on earth," yet eventually the old woody system fails so as to make way for the new. We manage, inspect, and care for the trees in our landscapes, but we just can't seem to predict when the strength of a storm will overtake the steadfastness of an oak.

Or can we?

These downdraft winds caused some of the most unusual tree damage I have seen in a long time. On the surface, the falling trees seemed to be inexplicably random. Loblollies snapped in half. Giant white oaks toppled over, pulling up hulking mounds of soil around their roots. Little dogwoods fell over into the lawns. Branches broke, and driveways were lifted. There did not seem to be a pattern, and the damage was widespread over a big geographical area. Seemingly firm-standing trees fell while neighboring weak trees were left standing.

So to make sense of things, I began taking notes each time a spotted a failed tree. I'm still recording, but the most interesting thing that I have noticed so far, is that the majority of failures occurred at, or near, a defective region of the tree. Even the most arbitrary of damage appears to have a reason.

Here's the hard part to accept: before the trees failed, many of the defective tree parts would have been visible to the experienced eye.

Next--->

Here's a Company that Will Evaluate Specimen Trees in Fulton County

2009-03-01T15:12:00.003-05:00

I was talking with a friend at an engineering firm last week, and they told me that Fulton County is no longer going out to sites to evaluate specimen trees prior to plan submittal. This is a growing trend among municipalities in Atlanta metro.

Some of our customers have been asking wether we complete specimen tree inventories and the answer YES, of course, and we are quite good at it. We've been successfully completing the inventories in Cobb, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Alpharetta, Roswell, and all over Atlanta.

Tree Appraisal Workshop Receives great reviews

2009-02-13T16:27:00.003-05:00

I wanted to thank all who participated in the Advanced Fundamentals of Tree Appraisal workshop, and especially my co-presenter, Robert Swanson, who was in top form. The students were engaged and walked away with a better understanding of the tree and plant valuation process.

One student sent me an email immediately following the class:

I really enjoyed the class yesterday. I knew very little about tree appraisal until yesterday, and I feel could give a reasonable estimate of the value of a tree now.

-Michael Barnett

The Georgia Urban Forestry Council and the Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences were great hosts. They had coffee and lunch ready for everyone. I am really looking forward to the Advanced Fundamentals of Tree Conservation Workshop in April!

Cold Snap Not a Problem for Windmill Palm

2009-01-16T11:18:00.003-05:00

Palms are not just for warm climates. The Windmill Palm Trachycarpus fortunei is the most cold hardy Palm 'tree' that you can grow in the Piedmont, tolerating temperatures as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

The trunk of this tree can mature between 20 and 40 feet, depending on soil and sunlight conditions. Full, blazing sun is the key to growing this palm. This tree, er...grass, can fit well into small areas like courtyards and entries. It is often seen as a framing accent near Mediterranean-influenced architecture.

One of my favorite contexts is the Windmill palm planted in a group, especially when palms of different heights are staggered in irregular patterns.

The trick to finding a palm species to grow in Atlanta is finding one that will tolerate the cold, heat, AND humidity.

Cobb County Arborist and Forestry Services Now Available

2009-01-14T20:04:00.002-05:00

The office of Community Development, in Cobb County, requires that all building and land disturbance site plans show the locations of specimen trees. A specimen tree study must be submitted with all land disturbance permits.

Onebark now provides the following services:

• Full specimen tree studies
• Tree location
• Tree density sampling

Mushroom Farm

2008-02-08T17:51:00.000-05:00

This poor tree, after having the top of its canopy ripped apart by a wind storm, developed a long wedge of decay along its trunk. The mushrooms are pretty to look at, but the Red oak leans right over the house. The decay is on the tension side of the lean, so the tree will have to go.

The mushrooms are probably the fruiting body of Ganoderma applanatum.

Stunning Japanese Maple

2007-09-12T17:58:00.000-04:00

I discovered this specimen during a routine tree inspection. It is a 40-50 year-old Acer Palmatum 'Dissectum'

Usually a Japanese maple of this age has some defects from bad pruning, poor limb structure, or decay in the trunk. But not this baby. It's perfect. The limb structure is without weakness, and there's not a hint of dieback or stress in the canopy. I would imagine the landscape value of this tree is upwards of $30,000.

Survivor in Yellow River

2007-09-09T20:48:00.001-04:00

A flood-swept Green Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica in the middle of the Yellow River in Gwinnett County.

Mushroom in the Grass

2007-09-03T19:33:00.000-04:00

Look at the center of the photo. There you will see a reddish-brown mushroom, nestled amongst dwarf Liriope.

It is attached to the base of a mature Post oak, Quercus stellata (background). This particular mushroom is the reproductive organ of Ganoderma lucidum. Ganoderma is a key indicator of decay in trees. It is also harvested by medicinal herbalists for its presumed health benefits. Some Chinese herbalists refer to it as the "mushroom of immortality."

Perhaps this moniker is true for people, but for the host tree it means "mushroom of problems."

Bruce's favorite tree

2007-08-29T21:18:00.000-04:00

Inspired by Lisa's favorite tree comes this arboreal treat, submitted by Atlanta architect, Bruce Griffeth.

This massive Southern red oak Quercus falcata is framed by a panoramic window from inside the house. The red oak has a smaller white oak nestled against the trunk base.

Lisa's favorite tree

2007-08-21T21:03:00.000-04:00

This spectacular White oak Quercus alba graces a home in the heart of the Morningside neighborhood of Atlanta. It is 51" inches in diameter and is the sole shade tree in the front yard. This tree is also featured on Onebark's postage stamps.