Oak Tree Management Recommendations?

[mrtree]

There are a couple of things to think about.

 

The report: what have you been asked for? tree risk assessment? management options? biological importance of the tree?

 

What is your approach? Tree service arborist? Consulting Arborist? Ecologist? Risk mitigator?

 

What importance is the tree to the property owners, council, locals?

 

What is the long term (10, 20 and 50 years) for the tree?

 

I look at this tree and see a centre of biodiversity over top of two old buildings. I have to wonder if the heritage value of the buildings or tree needs to be considered in relation or does one take priority. If the buildings are the most important thing on the site then the "management" of the tree will be different than if the tree were the priority.

 

This tree is an important source of propugales of lichens, mosses, liverworts, maybe hornworts, bacteria, algae, cyanobacteria, fungi etc. The local area certainly benefits from the micro and macro organisms that exist. Is this something that should be preserved?

 

All that being said from the climbing and saw-wielding arborist point-of-view I would suggest dead wooding over the white building. I am concerned about the weight and size of the limb over the white building. If you do reduce this massive trunk then consider pruning the whole tree to create a visual balance and to allow some light to encourage retrenchment. This then begins a never ending maintenance regime.

 

Of course the soils also need to be considered. Visually inspect the soils and chemical test if necessary. Decompact as necessary and add a mulch layer. The fancy method is to kill/smother grass, cover with composted wood chips and top with rather freash woodchips and perhaps the deadwood from the crown cleaning. Quick and easy method is to kill/smother grass and add what ever woodchips are available.