Leaning walnut

[Dilz]

- Just going to throw this on here to see what other think. 

 

Client has a large walnut with a very heavy lean towards a new built pool house. 

Tree was crown reduced as much as possible in terms of tree care 2 years ago. 

The roots on the back side of the tree have been damaged by builders during building work

There is what appears to be an old sheer plane crack that has healed over some years ago but is giving a sound indicating hollowness when assessing the stem with a mallet

A sonic topography survey was carried out indicating a reduction of strength on the tensile side (back of the lean ) 

Another  walnut that was taken down next to this one had some basal decay and internal cracks on the sheer plane. 

Client has wished to retain at least something of the tree. 

Further crown reduction whilst remaining in the realms of tree care standards would have a negligible effect.  

The lean has not noticeably increased recently but did shift some years ago according to the client. 

If it were to fail as  it currently  is its going on the pool house and would cause extensive damage to it. 

We are currently discussing options of trying to support the tree but it would be quite a project. 

Another option discussed with the client is to cut back the crown to some smaller branches lower down ( essentially   leaving a high stem with a few green bits and using the the stem as a structure for climbing plants ) so that if it were then to fail it would not reach the building. 

 

Curious as to what others think in this situation  - are there more options that could be considered? 

 

[Dan Maynard]

To me it's either cut it in half, or down completely. It's walnut, most likely sprout from the cuts either way.

 

The root damage is a bit of a ticking bomb really.

[Mick Dempsey]

Out or nothing.

Don’t let them shift responsibility to you.

[AHPP]

2 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Out or nothing.

Don’t let them shift responsibility to you.

 

That was my first thought yesterday.

Then I thought open-minded thoughts like, "The customer can have what they want. It's their tree and their choice."

Then I slept on it and I'm back to Mick's answer. If ten signs say turn left, turn left.

Edited June 9 by AHPP

[Dilz]

23 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Out or nothing.

Don’t let them shift responsibility to you.

No stress about that - I have already given the report with the - its not my problem / no guarantees jargon.  

Seem to recall an English Canadian guy wrote a whole book on such..cant recall his name of the top of my head..decent chap - did my ISA risk assessment course with him.  

[Dilz]

and the current motion is towards cutting it down to a height that means if it does fail it won't hit the building. 

[AHPP]

It's not just a liability issue. It's a reputation and marketing issue. If you cut it down and do a decent job clearing up, no damage etc, you're the guy that did a decent job. If you cut it in half and do a decent job clearing up, no damage etc and it later falls over, you're the guy who left them with a tree that fell over. It's not the whole story but it's the headline that everyone will see. Annoying but real.

[Mark Bolam]

As above.

 

And it will look utterly shite.

[Tree monkey 1682]

15 hours ago, Dilz said:

- Just going to throw this on here to see what other think. 

 

Client has a large walnut with a very heavy lean towards a new built pool house. 

Tree was crown reduced as much as possible in terms of tree care 2 years ago. 

The roots on the back side of the tree have been damaged by builders during building work

There is what appears to be an old sheer plane crack that has healed over some years ago but is giving a sound indicating hollowness when assessing the stem with a mallet

A sonic topography survey was carried out indicating a reduction of strength on the tensile side (back of the lean ) 

Another  walnut that was taken down next to this one had some basal decay and internal cracks on the sheer plane. 

Client has wished to retain at least something of the tree. 

Further crown reduction whilst remaining in the realms of tree care standards would have a negligible effect.  

The lean has not noticeably increased recently but did shift some years ago according to the client. 

If it were to fail as  it currently  is its going on the pool house and would cause extensive damage to it. 

We are currently discussing options of trying to support the tree but it would be quite a project. 

Another option discussed with the client is to cut back the crown to some smaller branches lower down ( essentially   leaving a high stem with a few green bits and using the the stem as a structure for climbing plants ) so that if it were then to fail it would not reach the building. 

 

Curious as to what others think in this situation  - are there more options that could be considered? 

 

We had a walnut once on the floor so we started clearing it up like a windblown....it self righted the next day and is still near on vertical to this day.

Can you not reduce canopy over a succession of years so it doesn't stress tree out and tree will come back ?

[Tree monkey 1682]

16 hours ago, Dilz said:

- Just going to throw this on here to see what other think. 

 

Client has a large walnut with a very heavy lean towards a new built pool house. 

Tree was crown reduced as much as possible in terms of tree care 2 years ago. 

The roots on the back side of the tree have been damaged by builders during building work

There is what appears to be an old sheer plane crack that has healed over some years ago but is giving a sound indicating hollowness when assessing the stem with a mallet

A sonic topography survey was carried out indicating a reduction of strength on the tensile side (back of the lean ) 

Another  walnut that was taken down next to this one had some basal decay and internal cracks on the sheer plane. 

Client has wished to retain at least something of the tree. 

Further crown reduction whilst remaining in the realms of tree care standards would have a negligible effect.  

The lean has not noticeably increased recently but did shift some years ago according to the client. 

If it were to fail as  it currently  is its going on the pool house and would cause extensive damage to it. 

We are currently discussing options of trying to support the tree but it would be quite a project. 

Another option discussed with the client is to cut back the crown to some smaller branches lower down ( essentially   leaving a high stem with a few green bits and using the the stem as a structure for climbing plants ) so that if it were then to fail it would not reach the building. 

 

Curious as to what others think in this situation  - are there more options that could be considered? 

 

Actually further reading it seems like an in or out job ...client should have chosen better builders to start with ...