My Once lovely spruce

Discussion in 'Gymnosperms (incl. Conifers)' started by Barb De jong, Jan 23, 2019.

  1. Barb De jong

    Barb De jong New Member

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    In November my neighbor, a retirement home, hired a local landscaper to limb my spruce that is at the property line. The tree is about 70 feet tall and the limbing goes up about 50 feet. I have had an arborist do a risk assessment and his finding were that the tree should be removed as it is at risk of falling into the homes around it. Hower the cities arborist claim that no injury was caused to the tree. I have been trying to find information to present in this matter. Where can I find articles or tree education to present to those that work at city hall that don't have experience in arboriculture.
     

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  2. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Poor thing (the tree).

    Possibly hire an ISA Certified Arborist for an assessment. Here's the Find an Arborist tool: Find an Arborist . I see one of the city's arborists is listed as a certified master arborist, by the way. If that's the one that did the assessment, I don't think much can be done. If that isn't the name you are familiar with, you can verify whether the arborist who did the assessment is ISA-certified here: Verify an ISA Credential

    They maintain the Trees are Good web site for the public: TreesAreGood.org
     
  3. Barb De jong

    Barb De jong New Member

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    I had an assessment done by a fellow from Waterloo who is certified with the ISA. He is not a master Arborist. The fellow with that distinction in Cambridge has not done an assessment and refuses to. He works for the city, Brian Geerts. He claims that the tree was unharmed. The man who cut the tree worked with him a few years ago and they are doing whatever they can to protect him. The man who cut the tree is not ISA certified. They are all friends and the city will not step aside as it is a conflict of interest. I have asked for them to do an assessment but they refuse to. So I would need the word of another master arborist to prove the conflict of interest in this case?
     
  4. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    What is the desired outcome here? I have nothing to contribute, but am trying to understand your objective and what exactly is preventing that.
     
  5. Barb De jong

    Barb De jong New Member

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    I am trying to find the information on spruce trees to present to a layman. How limbing effects them. Why you are never supposed to do this to a tree. I am working on getting 2 more assessments from different arborists in my area. However I found that the assessments are written in terms other arborist understand. I am hoping that I could find an article or teaching manual that outlines spruce trees and the treatment of them. I would like my neighbor to pay for the trees removal and replacement cost. I need to prove that this is an injury to the tree.
     
  6. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    Unless the limbing has caused the tree to be more vulnerable to being brought down in a big wind storm, my long experience with spruce trees at a layperson's level does not lead me to believe the loss of limbs has injured the tree. Had you thought of drastically thinning out the branches on your side to restore some sense of balance in appearance? It is an ongoing point of contention that forest trees like your spruce are really not appropriate in urban landscapes as they reach maturity.
     
  7. Barb De jong

    Barb De jong New Member

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    I am not of the same thought. The tree predates my home. It is already an eyesore with the limbs being removed. Removing more limbs will make it a pole in my yard. The assessment that was done concluded that the tree is at risk as the large square building behind my home causes a wind tunnel effect during wind storms. 40% of the limbs being removed up 50 feet causes a sail effect. The sun shines on the side that now has no limbs which will further weaken it. To say that this tree has not been injured when you see the wounds .... The information that I have read states differently. Where is it taught to arborists that it does not injured a spruce tree by limbing it?
     
  8. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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