HomeMy WebLinkAboutSANCTUARY ON THE GREEN - PDP190003 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - TREE MANAGEMENT PLANTyler Andrews
2508 Zurich Dr. Suite 3
Fort Collins, CO 80524
5/7/2019
To whom it may concern,
On Tuesday 5/7/2019, I came out to the site of a proposed development North of Laporte
Ave and West of Taft Hill in Fort Collins, Colorado (see attached map). Bill Veio with
Solitaire Homes requested that I assess the health and viability of a large cottonwood at
the site of the proposed development. The proposed plan, as explained to me by Bill, was
to include this tree in the new development.
I began the assessment looking at the base of the tree and the root system. The tree is
growing along an old irrigation ditch leaving the root system solely growing on the North
side of the ditch and the tree. Once I noticed this and because the level of the ditch is still
low, I climbed down the bank to the exposed base of the tree to see if the ditch had
undermined the tree. I found that the bank was eroded underneath the tree and that the
tree had a large hollow starting underneath the tree and continuing up the trunk. Inside
this hollow were a blanket and some other human left items that were indistinguishable.
It was difficult to estimate the size of this hollow because of the muddy bank and rain,
but it was large enough for a person to crawl into and continued up the inside of the trunk
until I could no longer see because of the limited light.
Next, I stepped back away from the tree to about 50ft and examined the upper canopy. I
looked more closely at the large upper leads of the tree and could see entrances to cavities
in about 80-90% of the main leads. I have climbed and removed many trees like this and
these holes in mature cottonwood trees usually continue for a significant distance into the
tree creating large cavities. These cavities weaken the structural integrity of the tree and
increase the likelihood of branch failure. While continuing to walk around the tree
inspecting the upper canopy, I came across a branch that was 14-16” in diameter at the
large end and about 20-30ft long. This branch had failed and broken at one such cavity,
likely in a winter storm.
Finally, I examined the foliage of the tree to assess vigor and health disregarding
structural integrity. In spite of all the hollows and undermined base, this tree outwardly
appeared to be healthy with what will become a full canopy this summer with a typical
amount of upper deadwood for a mature, 80ft, 100 year old tree.
With all this in mind, there are no management options that I could recommend that
would adequately address all my concerns about the structural integrity of this tree. If the
tree and the surrounding area were left in their current state, this tree could live for
considerably longer along the irrigation ditch. However with the planned development,
this tree becomes a hazard to both humans and structures. It is my opinion that if the
plans for this development continue, this tree will need to be removed to mitigate these
hazards.
Thank you and feel free to contact me via email with questions.
Tyler Andrews
Assistant District Manager
Certified Arborist RM 7906AT
tyler.andrews@davey.com