Maple and Elm Removal
A Bigleaf Maple near the Art and Music buildings was taken down this past weekend due to decay and falling branches. The logs will be used for the salvage wood program, or hauled off to Urban Hardwoods for milling.
Two campus trees, a Bigleaf Maple and an American Elm, were removed from campus this past weekend.
The Bigleaf Maple near the Art and Music buildings was removed from campus this past weekend. The tree was taken down because it had previously dropped large limbs (above), and had extensive rot throughout the trunk base.
The Bigleaf Maple previously sat in a grassy area near the Art and Music buildings. The tree was approximately 68 inches in diameter, and needed to be taken down for safety reasons.
According to the campus arborist, Sara Shores, the tree had reached the end of its useful life. The tree had previously dropped large limbs, including a piece off the top, and had extensive rot throughout the trunk base.
The Seattle Tree Preservation took down a Bigleaf Maple near the Art and Music buildings this past weekend.
An American Elm in Denny Yard was removed from campus. The elm was known to shed major stems, and had epicormics shoots growing from the trunk that indicated the tree was struggling to get nutrients.
The American Elm taken down in Denny Yard was nearly 50 inches in diameter, and stood over 118 feet tall. The tree was rated as a “high risk” because of previous branch failures. The tree was previously known to shed branches. The tree was located above two major walkways, and needed to be removed as to not pose a hazard to campus.
On the trunk of the American Elm, epicormics shoots were growing. According to Shores, the sprouts are indication that the tree is struggling to obtain nutrients.
Employees with the Seattle Tree Preservation put small branches of an American Elm through a wood chipper.
Employees with the Seattle Tree Preservation put small branches of an American Elm through a wood chipper.
Both trees were taken down by the Seattle Tree Preservation because of their size. While Grounds Management previously took down an American Elm outside of Suzzallo, the crane that Grounds Management owns would not have been able to take the weight of salvageable pieces.
“This type of removal requires a larger crew of experienced tree and ground workers,” Shores said. “[The University is] keeping all the logs between 15 inches and 36 inches, and Urban Hardwoods is hauling away the pieces larger than 36 inches to mill.”
Some of the logs collected by the University will be used for Grounds Management’s salvage wood program.
The area where the Bigleaf Maple previously stood will be replanted with grass until nearby construction is completed. The spot will eventually be filled by another tree that fits the landscape. The American Elm in Denny Yard will be replaced by a large stature tree.
