Attachment_4 _Prisoners_Harbor_Tree_Evaluation_Report_2015.pdf

Tree Evaluation

Prisoners Harbor – Santa Cruz Island

Channel Islands National Park

‘2015’

Prepared For:

Laura Kirn

Chief, Cultural Resources

Channel Islands National Park

1901 Spinnaker Drive

Ventura, CA 93001

(805) 658-5752 laura_kirn@nps.gov.

May 13, 2015

Prepared By:

Edwin Slowik

Certified and Consulting Arborist

Registered Consulting Arborist # 462

ISA Board Certified Master Arborist # WE-0187B

ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ)

TREECO, Inc.

2100 Goodyear Avenue, Suite # 1

Ventura, CA 93003

(805) 652-0404 treecoventura@att.net • www.treecoventura.com

P15PS02197

Attachment 4 mailto:treecoventura@att.net http://www.treecoventura.com/

Tree Evaluation- Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz Island

Channel Island National Park, 2015

Edwin Slowik, Certified and Consulting Arborist, Treeco, Inc.

Table of Contents

Prisoners Harbor Overview

Tree Evaluation Charts, Observations & Recommendations

Appendix I – Photos A-F, Prisoners Harbor Overview

Appendix II – Photographs 1-18

Appendix III – ISA Pruning Guidelines

Appendix IV – Site Map

Appendix V – Assumptions and Limiting Conditions

Appendix VI – Certificate of Performance

Prisoners Harbor Overview

On March 29, 2015, I evaluated two Coast Live Oak trees, the Sydney Blue

Gum Eucalyptus trees and one Italian Stone Pine tree growing adjacent to the beach area at Prisoners Harbor.

(See Appendix I – Prisoners Harbor Overview, Photos A-F.)

The Coast Live Oak ("Oak"), Tree 104, growing adjacent to the restroom, appears to be in good condition. It has produced 4-6 inches of new growth this season.

The tree support that was installed a few years ago appears to be performing well. The tree is beginning to grow over its supportive end.

This Oak has some branches growing over the roof of the storage building that need to be raised up and away from the roof of the building.

The smaller volunteer Oak tree, located behind the warehouse, appears to be forming into a good tree. There are some basal suckers on the Oak that should be pruned away from the building.

The row of Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus trees ("Eucalyptus"), growing adjacent to the beach area, appear to be in good condition. Only a few need to be pruned for end weight relief. Most of the upper canopies of these Eucalyptus are still relatively open and not heavy because they have not produced much new growth. The below normal rainfall this year most likely limited the new growth of these trees.

Eucalyptus Trees 121 and 124 are leaning into Tree 123 on either side. These two trees are cracked and should be removed, leaving the healthier Tree 123 intact. (See Appendix II - Photos 5 – 9.)

Tree 126 has a mound of soil pushed up against its base. This soil should be removed away from the base to help prevent decay from occurring on its basal area.

The large Italian Stone Pine, Tree 133, growing near the end of the pier, is slowly declining due to soil compaction by foot traffic and possible salt water intrusion into its root zone. This tree would benefit from a 5-6 inch layer of wood chips spread out over its root area to help reduce soil compaction.

(See Appendix I- Photo E.)

At this time, there is no pruning needed for Tree 133.

The last two Eucalyptus (Trees 132 and Tree 135) have produced heavy end weight on many of their branches, which needs to be pruned for weight relief.

Tree 135 stands alone on the west end of the beach. (See Photo F.)

All work recommended for trees located at Prisoners Harbor can be reviewed in the Tree Evaluation Chart beginning on page 6 and the related photos can be viewed in Appendix II, beginning on page 16.

Prisoners Harbor Tree Evaluation Chart

Tree

Number and Type

Relative location

Use under trees

Condition Recommendations Photo

N/A

Coast Live

Oak

East side of storage building.

H

Good.

Growing on a lean.

Overhanging the restroom and partially over the storage building.

Prune to selectively thin out the entire canopy 25% and clear away from the roof of the storage building, at least 6 feet.

Coast Live

Oak

Behind the storage building.

L

Good. Young tree. Needs structure to direct away from the building.

Prune to selectively thin out 25%. Structure and remove low sprouts growing up into the canopy of the tree.

Row of

Eucalyptus

Up against the hillside near the beach.

H

Good. Few exceptions as noted.

Prune back any long, heavy branches growing on the ocean side of the trees.

Relieve weight as needed to help reduce failures.

110 - 117

First set of trees on the east end of the row.

H Good. No work needed. 4

7th tree from east end of row H

Stem on the west side is leaning in the adjacent tree.

Remove the stem on the west side of this tree that is leaning into tree #123

5 & 6

Adjacent to

Tree 121 H

Good. May have cracked/broken limbs.

Some heavy limbs on the ocean side of its canopy.

Prune to remove any cracked or broken limbs.

Relieve weight. Prune back all heavy end weight on its ocean side.

Number and Type

Relative location

Use under trees

Condition Recommendations Photo

Tree 123 H

Leaning on a

45° angle and is wedged into tree 123. The root plate appears to have partially pulled out of the ground.

REMOVE THIS TREE

7, 8

& 9

Tree 124 H Good. No work needed. 10

Tree 125 H

Good. Soil has been mounded up against the base of its trunk. Tree has some long, thin growth on its ocean side.

Remove the soil away from the base of its trunk back down to the original soil grade. Prune back all the long, thin new growth on the ocean side.

11 &

Tree 126 H Good. No work needed.

Eucalyptus

Last tree at the west end of the row Eucalyptus.

H Good. No work needed. 14

Italian

Stone Pine

By the end of the pier.

H

Good pine needle color, but has a sparse canopy density.

5-6 inch layer of wood chips spread out over its root area to help reduce soil compaction

Beyond the west end of the row of

Eucalyptus.

M

Good. Many branches have heavy end weight.

Prune to selectively lighten up all branches with heavy end weight.

Number and Type

Relative location

Use under trees

Condition Recommendations Photo

Last tree on west end of beach.

H

Good. Many branches have heavy end weight.

Prune to selectively lighten up all branches with heavy end weight.

Remove cracked or broken branches. Remove dead branches. Selectively thin out the entire canopy by

20-25% only.

17 &

Appendix I

Summary of Prisoners Harbor

Photos A - F

Photo A

Row of Eucalyptus trees adjacent to the beach at Prisoners Harbor.

View from the end of the pier at Prisoners Harbor.

Photo B

East view of the row of Eucalyptus.

Photo C

View of the native Coast Live Oak tree adjacent to the restroom at Prisoners

Harbor.

Photo D

Another view of the Coast Live Oak tree adjacent to the restroom at Prisoners

Harbor.

Photo E

Large Italian Stone Pine on the beach at Prisoners Harbor.

Photo F - Large specimen Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus tree growing adjacent to the west end of the beach at Prisoners Harbor.

Appendix II

Photographs 1-18

Photo 1: Coast Live Oak

This tree needs to be selectively thinned out by approximately 25%. Prune away from the building to allow at least 6 feet of clearance.

Photo 2: Coast Live Oak

Prune to structure. Selectively thin out by 25%. Prune away from building and remove the basal suckers.

Photo 3: Row of Eucalyptus Trees.

View from the east end.

Photo 4: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Trees 110–117

View of the first six Eucalyptus trees on the east end of the road.

No work is needed at this time.

Photo 5: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 121

Eucalyptus Trees 121 and 124 are leaning into Tree 123 on either side. These two trees are cracked and should be removed, leaving the healthier Tree 123 intact.

Photo 6: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 121

The arrow is indicating a close view of the stem that failed and is leaning into the adjacent tree (Tree 123).

Remove Tree 121 stem to ground level.

Photo 7: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 123

This tree has some very heavy limbs on its beach side that should be pruned back and lightened up. Prune out the cracked and broken branches.

Photo 8: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 124

Tree 124 is growing on a 45° angle and is leaning on a branch in the adjacent tree

(Tree 123).

The branch that it is leaning on, looks like it is close to snapping (indicated by the arrow).

Tree number 124 should be removed.

Photo 9: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 124

The arrow is indicating an airspace under the root plate that has partially pulled out of the ground.

Tree number 124 should be removed.

Photo 10: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 125

Tree 125 appears to be in good condition and does not require any work at the present time.

Photo 11: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 126

The arrow is indicating a mound of soil around the base of the tree that should be removed. Prune back all the thin, new growth on its ocean side.

Photo 12: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 126

Arrows are indicating a close up view of the soil that has mounted against the base of the tree. Remove soil back down to the original grade.

Photo 13: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 127

Appears to be in good condition. No work is needed.

Photo 14: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 128

Appears to be in good condition. No work is needed.

Photo 15: Italian Stone Pine - Tree 131

Appears to be in good condition.

This tree would benefit from a 5-6 inch layer of wood chips spread out over its root area to help reduce soil compaction.

Photo 16: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 132

Good condition. Many branches have heavy end weight (indicated by the arrows).

Selectively prune back heavy end weight throughout its canopy.

Photo 17: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - 135

Last Eucalyptus tree on the west end of the beach.

Photo 18: Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus - Tree 135

Arrows are indicating many of the branches that have heavy end weight that require to be selectively lightened. The entire canopy should be selectively thinned out 20 - 25%.

Appendix III

ISA Pruning Guidelines

ISA Pruning Guidelines

To be followed by contracted pruners

1. No more than 25% of live green foliage should be selectively removed from a branch or the entire tree unless recommended.

2. When a branch is cut back to a lateral, the remaining lateral branch must be at least one-third to one-half the diameter of the removed portion;

a. Lion tailing is a poor pruning practice and it is not acceptable.

This practice is when an excessive number of branches that are thinned from the inside and lower part of specific limbs or a tree crown, leaving mostly terminal foliage. This results in poor branch taper, poor wind load distribution, and higher risk of branch failure. (BMP. Tree Pruning Revised 2008)

3. All broken and cracked branches found in the canopy must be removed.

4. All dead branches two inches or greater in diameter must be removed.

5. If the qualified Tree Pruner observes a potential for failure in the canopy of the tree while they are working in, they are expected to use their experience to relieve weight on the problem branch to help prevent failure or remove the entire branch (if needed) back to its attachment or a suitable size lateral branch.

Appendix IV

Site Map of Prisoners Harbor (Map not to scale)

Appendix V

Assumptions and Limiting Conditions

Assumptions and Limiting Conditions

1. Any and all legal descriptions provided to the consultant/appraiser are assumed to be true and correct. Any and all ownerships and titles to any property are assumed to be marketable and good. Consultant/appraiser assumes no responsibility for matters legal in character. Any and all property is evaluated and appraised as though free and clear, under responsible ownership and competent management.

2. It is assumed there are no code violations with regard to the subject property, such as ordinances, statutes or other governmental regulations.

3. All data supplied to consultant/appraiser has been obtained by reliable sources and verified as much as possible. The consultant/appraiser takes no responsibility for the accuracy or inaccuracy of the information provided by others and therefore cannot be guaranteed.

4. The consultant/appraiser shall not be required to give testimony or to attend court by reason of this report unless subsequent contractual arrangements are made, including but not limited to, payment of an additional fee for such services as described in the fee schedule and contract of engagement.

5. Unless required by law, possession of this report or a copy thereof does not imply right of publication or use for any purpose by anyone other than the person to whom it is addressed, without the prior expressed written or verbal consent of the consultant/appraiser.

6. Loss or alteration of any part of this report invalidates the entire report.

7. Unless otherwise stated, the report covers only the items that were examined and reflects the condition of those items at the time of inspection. The inspection is no warranty or guarantee, expressed or implied, that problems or deficiencies of the plants or property in question may not arise in the future.

Appendix VI

Certificate of Performance

Certificate of Performance

Property Address: Prisoners Harbor- Santa Cruz Island

I, EDWIN SLOWIK, certify to the best of my knowledge and belief:

That the statements of fact contained in this report are true and correct; that the report analyses, opinions, and conclusions are limited only to the reported assumptions and limiting conditions, and are my personal, unbiased professional analyses, opinions, and conclusions based on my training and experience;

That I have no present or prospective interest in the vegetation that is the subject of this report, and I have no personal interest or bias with respect to the parties involved;

That my compensation is not contingent upon the reporting of a predetermined value or direction in value that favors the cause of the client, the amount of the value estimate, the attainment of stipulated result, or the occurrence of a subsequent event;

That my analyses, opinions, and conclusions were developed, and this report has been prepared, according to current scientific procedures and facts commonly used by certified, consulting arborists as accepted arboricultural practices;

That I have made a personal inspection of the plant/plants that are the subject of this report;

That no one provided significant professional assistance to the person signing this report;

I further certify that I am a member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists, and I am an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist. I have been involved in the practice of arboriculture and the care and study of trees for over 21 years.

Edwin Slowik- ISA Board Certified Master Arborist and ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist

May 13, 2015

Date of Signature