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TREE REPORT

Client – City of Vincent Contact – Kim Godfrey – Technical Officer Parks Services

Site – Money & Monger Streets - Perth

Prepared by: Jonathan Epps, IACA Consulting Arboriculturist

6 February 2013

City of Vincent – Money & Monger Streets Page 1 Jonathan Epps

INDEX

Page No Introduction 2 Subject Trees - Inspection 3 Subject Trees – Identification 4 Methodology Process of Tree Inspections 5 Background History – Site 6 Background History – Pollards 7 Tree Inspection Details 9 Monger Street – Proposed Works Winter 2013 9 Monger Street – Repollard/Selective Repollard Schedule 9 Money Street - Proposed Works Winter 2013 10 Money Street - Repollard/Selective Repollard Schedule 10 Discussion 11 Thyer Tree Valuation 17 Replacement Trees 18 Recommendations 19 Conclusion 19 References 20 Acknowledgements 20 Appendices APPENDIX 1 – PROPOSED TREE WORKS 21 APPENDIX 2 – GLOSSARY 23 APPENDIX 3 – THYER VALUATION WORKSHEET 2000b 25 APPENDIX 4 – STARS – TREE ASSESSMENT RATING SYSTEM 27 APPENDIX 5 – AS4373 – PRUNING OF AMENITY TREES p.11 30


INTRODUCTION Kim Godfrey requested Jonathan Epps to prepare a tree report. The mature tree (subject trees) population in Money and Monger streets require professional arboricultural advice as follows (from Consultants Brief – Assessment of Money Street and Monger Street Trees City of Vincent 18 December 2012) –

• An independent report to be prepared in relation to the trees previously identified as requiring to be replaced

• Rigorous assessment of risk taking into account contemporary approaches relevant to local government

• What, if anything, can be undertaken to rehabilitate trees to reasonable health

• Valuation of trees using acceptable methods including the ‘value’ of each tree

• What constitutes a ‘mature’ replacement tree including the actual cost of replacement

The tree report is complied as follows –

• This written report – see index for details

• SIMS – Survey, Inspection & Maintenance Schedule – this document (a separate one for each street) contains details of observations of surrounding site, tree parameters including condition and health status, amenity value, useful life expectancy, height, dbh (diameter at breast height – measured at 1.4m agl), crown spread, vigour, foliage density etc. Information about proposed tree works is included. A priority is given for when the proposed works are to be undertaken and a date given for re-inspection.

• A map/plan detailing the tree sites/positions and locations of proposed

replacement trees. This plan was supplied by the City of Vincent to be detailed by the consultant

• Digital images were taken of each subject tree (whole tree view) and

where defects (subject tree or site) were noted these images follow the whole tree image. The images follow in subject tree numerical order. There is a separate disk (two in total) containing subject tree images for each street so that there is no confusion.

NB – the tree report is supplied in hard copy format (extra copies can be supplied) and on a disk.


SUBJECT TREES INSPECTION This was carried out over the following days –

• Monger Street – 10, 11, 16, January 2013 • Money Street – 18, 21, 22, 23, January 2013

The weather on all days was warm, sunny and clear with temperatures ranging from 19oC – 30oC. There were no overcast, rainy or cloudy periods. The mature subject trees were climbed (using a rope and harness) to inspect the ‘pollard points’ (areas on upper stem from which arise regrown branches/pollards, the base of which can be decayed) in close detail. Sounding of wood tissue was carried out using a nylon hammer. Where the base of the stem and /or root crown area was suspect this was investigated using hand tools. Uneven kerbs were noted. All investigative procedures were non invasive. Loose dead wood (liable to imminent collapse) and hung up detached branches were (where possible) removed from the crown area of the subject trees and laid on the verge for collection by the City of Vincent. Those pollards selected for removal were each marked at their base with white marker/survey paint – single ‘spot’ only. Enquiries from members of the public were dealt with by this consultant in situ. The only underground services seen were Telecom and water. It is likely that other services run beneath the footpath, subject trees and road, certainly within the root zone. Such services could be gas, electricity and digital cable etc. Time was also spent in the Battye Library and the historical section of the City of Vincent library to research information on the history of the subject trees. To avoid confusion in identifying each subject tree the following points are relevant –

• Each street has its own SIMS record – a separate document • Subject trees in Monger street are numbered 1-32 • Subject trees in Money street are numbered 1A – 30A • Each subject tree has a location reference eg Money St – Tree No 8A –

Location – o/s unit 14/34-44 Money Street

Details were recorded of raised/damaged kerbs/footpaths and one tree – Tree No 7 Monger St requires a root prune


SUBJECT TREES - IDENTIFICATION The subject trees are as follows – Monger Street – All 32 specimens – London Plane Tree – Platanus x hispanica Mill. Ex MUENCHH. (P.acerifolia (AIT.) WILLD.) (P.hybrida BROT.) – (The Hillier Manual of Trees & Shrubs – 1998 – David & Childs pp406) – 3 young specimens – remainder are mature NB Subject Tree Nos 4 & 17 both have leaf margins consistent with Oriental Plane – P. orientalis – the margins are dentate and deeply lobed, however genetic variations do occur within species – see image below on this page London Plane trees have long been considered a hybrid between P. orientalis (Oriental Plane/Chennar tree) – SE Europe & P. occidentalis (American Sycamore/Buttonwood) E USA, NE Mexico & S Ontario, Canada. Hybrid was first recorded about 1663 (ibid pp406/407) Leaf lamina variation – at left outline typical of P.orientalis – at right typical of P.x hispanica

Money Street – Subject tree Nos – 5A, 15A, 16A, 17A – Modong/Moonah – Stout Paperbark – Melaleuca preissiana – Perth’s largest paperbark (Leaf & Branch – Trees & Tall Shrubs of Perth – R Powell – 1990 – CALM pp174) – 2 young and one advanced specimen – remainder are mature All remaining subject trees are London Plane – leaf variation appears consistent


METHODOLOGY PROCESS OF TREE INSPECTIONS The subject trees were inspected from ground level & the mature pollarded specimens were climbed. Details of the observations are recorded on the attached SIMS (Survey, Inspection and Maintenance Sheets) – see separate documents. Tree heights are estimated in metres. Dbh (diameter at breast height taken 1400mm above ground level - agl) is recorded in millimetres. The subject trees were inspected for the following: Root plate heave and/or disturbance Exposed roots – lowering of soil level/grade – trip hazard Infill at base of stems – raised soil levels – collar rot Girdling roots – roots encircling the stem may cause ‘ring barking’ – bark necrosis Basal cavities – hollows, fungal brackets/fruiting bodies Stem/pollard cavities Crown galls Termite activity Climbing plants Proximity of underground/overground services Proximity of aboveground structures, eg houses, retaining walls, etc Bark tears, lesions, splits and cracks Oedema – and other unnatural swollen areas in bark tissue Physical abnormalities, eg lightning strikes, bridge grafts, etc Unnatural change in bark colour, texture and form Compression folds in bark Decay pockets in stem Excessive gum, sap, kino exudation and/or weeping Borer, cossid moth and other insect activity Included bark at major stem and branch unions Evidence of tree surgery and infrastructure, eg cabling, Cobra/Yale Bracing, signs and other abiotic tree attachments Branch attachments especially evidence of topping, lopping and/or pollarding Flush cuts – removal of branch collar Branch sockets – areas where branches have been torn out and away from branch union Branches of uneven taper Crossing, broken and hung-up branches – branch stubs Die-back symptoms – stag heading and reduction in foliage density Major dead wood – over 25mm in diameter Minor dead wood – under 25mm in diameter Mycoplasma attack Foliage – change in colour, size, shape and thickness variation Epicormic growth Growth habit of tree – leaning, crooked or asymmetrical growth


BACKGROUND HISTORY - SITE Money and Monger Streets are situated on land that had originally been part of Lake Thomson. The edges of the lake dried out in summer making the growing of vegetables possible. By 1868 the city had spread as far north as Newcastle Street at the edge of Lake Thomson. During the 1890s the gold rush caused an influx of aspiring prospectors and fortune seekers and people such as Harry Anstey developed the area further north. In 1892 Mr Anstey bought a 22.5 acre (9.1ha) site in which the subdivision included Money and Monger Streets. Little Parry Street was originally the main drain from the former lake that terminated at Claise Brook. A newspaper cutting from the West Australian from 4 April 1901 (sourced from Battye library) describes a letter from a reader praising the local government’s initiative in lining both Money and Monger Streets with London Plane trees and calling for more plantings. It must be assumed then that perhaps the trees had just been planted or certainly during the immediate preceding years. A long term resident of Money Street, Olive Williams lived at 4 Money Street for around fifty years and described the street ‘Money street was once called the prettiest street in Perth because of its beautiful trees planted down each side of the street – At this time the limbs grew thick and looked as if they were trying to touch each other, making an archway down the middle of the street – it really was a sight to behold, hiding the little brick and weather board houses. Autumn was really beautiful. That’s the time the leaves began to fall, covering the footpath right up to the fences of the houses, making Money Street look as if it was covered with a carpet of golden brown leaves. Children in the street used to play tarzan jumping from tree to tree. At night everyone sat in deckchairs on the footpaths and there were little fires all along the street burning the leaves’ (The above is abridged from Heritage Assessment by L Gray and I Sauma Vol 1, Appendix 1-4 January 2002 - City of Vincent – Historical Library) According to local knowledge the subject trees were sourced from three mature London Plane trees growing at the State Nursery in Hamel (south of Perth). The young subject trees were grown on as struck cuttings. It is said that apparently the mature London Plane trees now growing in Hyde Park (City of Vincent) came from the same source – (from a discussion with John Viska, Chairman of the WA Garden History Society – January 2013). It is alleged that the subject trees were heavily pollarded around 1925 and that some of the local populace climbed the trees to prevent this pruning activity. This however has not been confirmed. The subject trees have however signs of a history of heavy pollarding – the exact timing of the initial pollarding is uncertain.


Author John K Ewers a resident for a short period in the 1930s wrote a novel titled ‘Money Street’ which was published by Hodder & Stoughton in 1933. a photograph of the street in Autumn graced the cover of the first edition – see image below left. Characters are claimed to have been modelled on the residents of the time, and those who lived there during that period could tell who the model for each character had been, although the story itself was fiction. Ewers is supposed to have occupied a room in the house at No 6 Money Street.

Money St in the 1930s – tree at centre believed to be subject Tree No 10

BACKGROUND HISTORY – POLLARDS ‘Pollards are trees where the trunk is cut, usually at a height of 2m (6ft) agl, and left to regrow long straight wood of the sort much used when people lived off the land (coppicing is similar but is done at ground level; pollarding was common in parks where the new regrowth had to be kept out of reach of deer and other grazing animals)’ – Trees; their natural history – Peter Thomas – Cambridge – 2000 – pp66. ‘Pollarding is an old method of removing branches around 6 to 15ft (2-3m) leaving a permanent trunk called a bolling (to rhyme with ‘rolling’)………Pollarded trees were also used to mark land boundaries – Trees & Woodland in the British Landscape – O. Rackham, Phoenix Press 1976 – pp8


‘Pollards tend to be older than maidens (a tree that has never been altered by pruning – Dictionary for Managing Trees in Urban Environments – Draper & Richards – CSIRO – 2009 – pp93) of the same size: a pollard has a very small crown, especially in the first few years after each cutting, and hence the bolling expands very slowly. After pollarding has ceased, it may form a full-sized crown and grow at the same rate as a maiden …. An age at of least 400 years is not uncommon among oaks, especially pollards, in parks and Royal Forests …. The Doodle Oak in Hatfield Forest (Essex), which died in 1858, was estimated from a ring count in 1949 to have dated from c. 950. Also about a thousand years old are the Queen’s Oak at Huntingfield (Suffolk), and the wonderful pollards of Windsor Great Park, some of which were photographed in 1864 and have changed little since.’ From Trees and Woodland in the British Landscape by Oliver Rackham – Phoenix 2001 – orig pub 1976 pp14 ‘Managed pollards tend to be mechanically stable and long lived.’ From N. Fay – Environmental Arboriculture, Tree Ecology and Veteran Tree Management, 2002. At Oxford in 1301 an inquest was held on a schoolmaster who fell into the River Cherwell from a pollarded Willow while cutting rods with which to beat his boys. From Coulton – Life in the Middle Ages 1967, pp74. ‘In tree terms, ‘old’ tends to refer to the chronological age of the tree. ‘Veteran’ describes a tree that has been through hard times and is a survivor. In other words, it is a tree that may have had an accelerated passage through the aging process through abiotically induced, physiological stress and wounding. It is a term that has borrowed from the human experience of war, where soldiers may mature rapidly under duress and through physical suffering. The term ‘ancient’ implies inherent stature and relates to a tree that has passed more gradually through the various stages of the aging process’. From N. Fay – Environmental Arboriculture, Tree Ecology and Veteran Tree Management, 2002, pp2. The subject trees, because of their history of pollarding (severe reduction of crown area) and their age (112 years) they can be recognised as trees of veteran status. London Plane trees do live well beyond 100 years.


TREE INSPECTION DETAILS A total of 62 subject trees were inspected in both streets Monger Street – Proposed works winter 2013

• Trees for felling/removal (x5) – Tree Nos - 1(dead young tree), 5,6,8 – under power lines – Tree No 25 – structurally unsound, on opposite side of road, south side

• Trees to repollard (x6) – Tree Nos - 4,7,9,10,12 – under power lines –

Tree No 19 – on opposite side of road, tree crown health affected by Galahs

• Trees to selectively repollard – Tree No 18

• Prune roots – Tree No – 7

• Remove major dead wood, detached hung up branches and lift crown to

statutory requirements – also prune branches away from o/h power lines on opposite side of street where appropriate (x18) – Tree Nos – 13,14,15,16,17,19,20,21,22,23,24,26,27,28,29,30,31,32

• Reinstate public footpath (x3) – Tree Nos 24,26,27

• Stem Nutrient implants - MedicapMD© - Tree No 19

• No tree works required – Tree No 11

Monger Street – Repollard/Selective Repollard Schedule The trees on the north side should be repollarded annually as currently are growing under power lines

• Repollard (2015) – Tree Nos - 14,21,24,27,29 • Repollard (2017) – Tree Nos – 23,26,30,32 • Repollard (2019) – Tree Nos – 1(if new tree planted in winter

2013),2,3,15,19,22 • Repollard (2021) – Tree Nos – 13,17,28, • Repollard (2023) – Tree Nos – 16,18,20,31


Money Street – Proposed works winter 2013

• Trees for felling/removal – Tree No 4A may be considered following further investigation by Mr Epps. This must be carried out ASAP

• Trees to repollard or selectively repollard (as marked) – ASAP - (x5) -

(remove all dead wood, detached hung up branches and lift crown to statutory requirements) – Tree Nos – 8A,9A,18A,24A,30A

• Remove dead wood, detached hung up branches, lift crown to statutory

requirements, prune branches away from houses where applicable - ALL SUBJECT TREES – including Tree Nos – 5A,15A,16A,17A – all Stout Paperbark trees

• Reinstate public footpath – Tree No 13A

Money Street - Repollard /Selective Repollard Schedule

• Repollard - 2015 - Tree Nos – 2A,14A,19A,22A,29A • Lift crown only - 2016 - Tree No 13A • Repollard - 2017 - Tree Nos – 10A,20A,21A,28A • Repollard - 2019 - Tree Nos – 1A,7A,23A,26A • Repollard - 2021 - Tree Nos – 3A,8A,10A,12A,24A,27A • Repollard - 2023 - Tree Nos – 6A,9A,11A,18A,25A,30A

NB – If Tree No 4A is to be retained then it must be repollarded annually


DISCUSSION Once trees are pollarded they must be repollarded on a regular basis. The object is to create a pollard head – (‘The enlarged stem area of wound wood formed below a succession of pruning wounds especially by pollarding, containing latent or adventitious buds that arise in response to the stimulus of each pollarding episode’ – Dictionary for managing Trees in Urban Environments – Draper & Richards CSIRO 2009 pp115). This is achieved by hard pruning when the tree is young around 2-4m tall. The small branches are removed during the dormant season (July/August – southern winter). The young stem is removed above the cut side branches without cutting into the branch collars. Sprouts or epicormic shoots will grow from the pruning cuts. At the end of the growing season these sprouts are cut at a distance from the stem. These are the potential structural branches. At the end of every growing season the sprouts are cut from the growing pollard head. When removing sprouts it is important not to cut into the pollard head. Final cuts must be made just outside of the swollen base of the sprouts. In this fashion annual pollarding can occur and the wounds from the cut sprouts are always kept small. This process can be carried out by general horticulturists. Tree surgeons are not usually required. The image below is of healthy, correctly pollarded London Plane trees in Sarlat in the Perigoird region of France. Notice the small wounds on the pollard heads


The subject trees have been allowed to grow beyond their normal repollarding regime and have created an avenue creating dense shade that is many degrees cooler because of it. Because many of them were poorly pruned the pollard heads on many of them have unfortunately developed cavities – see image below right

Subject Tree No 8 Money St o/s unit 14/34-44 Large cavity on same tree – white dot indicates pollard

for removal

In the image above on the left, at the top of the stems (bollings) the pollard heads can be seen as rounded darker areas. In order to prolong the life of these old trees and to prevent collapse of large pollards growing at the edge of decayed cavities the correct management procedure would be to repollard all the subject trees. However this consultant is of the opinion that the general public, residents and people who work in the area would find such an action unacceptable if all the subject trees were repollarded at the same time. Because of this, careful consideration has been given to prioritise those subject trees that must have pollarding, or at least carefully selected pollard removal as soon as possible. The proposed repollarding regime over the next ten years will also introduce a variation into the age class of the subject trees. A climbing tree surgeon will have to be used to remove the larger selected pollards. Access for this operation is not possible with an elevated work platform – too much foliage would have to be removed in order to gain access, therefore the tree’s form will be damaged. In addition, it is strongly recommended not to have large trucks and crews working in the area due to traffic congestion. Smaller crews of three people (one climber, two observers/ground crew) are strongly recommended.


In Monger Street most of the subject trees under the power lines should be repollarded – they have been anyway on a regular basis. Most of the trees recommended for removal are on this side of the road. They are either too hollow to retain or have pollard points or structural branches so badly decayed that removal is the best option. Many of the subject trees have major dead wood, hung up detached branches in the crowns, and many have low branches (infringing truck passage) and branches very close to properties. These are normal pruning operations and should be attended to as recommended. This consultant has actively removed much of the dead and hung up detached branches as a duty of care. The decay in the pollard point cavities is thought to have been caused by Phellinus spp and/or Laetiporous spp – no fungal brackets were seen. London Plane trees are remarkably tolerant to harsh pruning and decay. They have a very strong ‘barrier zone’ which is formed after the tree is wounded. This barrier prevents decay breaching into the newly laid down wood/residual wood. The residual thickness of the residual wall should not be below a t/R (trunk/radius of stem) ratio of 0.3 – Mattheck & Breloer 1995. This is to prevent collapse of the remaining wood as follows –

• shell buckling - Occurs as structural failure and potential collapse of a thin walled hollow stem buckling initially, then splintering into several fracture planks that each subsequently fail from kinking – ibid 1994, pp 31-33

• Hose pipe kinking – Structural failure or collapse of a hollow stem

immediately below a solid section by cross sectional flattening caused by longitudinal splits of neutral fibres where more than 70% of the stem radius is hollow – ibid 1994 pp 36-38

Some subject trees that require a more specialised treatment are as follows – See over page


MONGER ST

• Tree No 19 has been subjected to Galah damage and there remains only a small width of live cambial tissue on the roadside – see image below right - in fact the foliage density is thicker on this side – see image below left. The tree remains structurally sound. It is thought that by implanting the stem with nutrients – Medicap MD Total© and by pollarding the tree it may be able to remain viable for the future and therefore increase its ULE (useful life expectancy)

Tree No 19 – foliage denser roadside Arrow indicates narrow width of live tissue

Money Street

• Tree No 4A – This subject tree has a short stem (bolling) and small regrown pollards. During the inspection the structural branch on the path side appears to be unstable. The base of the tree has decay on the south side of the stem – the circumference of the remainder of the base of stem around two thirds appears sound. This consultant would like to remove the above mentioned structural branch and assess the remaining exposed wood before a final decision is made on its future.

Structural branch at right for removal Subject Tree No 4A


Money Street – Continued

• Tree No 14A – This is a younger specimen with a dbh of 180mm. There has been a problem with the planning process where an overhead building structure is now intruding into the crown of the tree – see image below right. The obvious choice now that the new development is in situ is to remove the tree or transplant it, however this specimen would benefit from a pollarding regime which is recommended to take place in winter 2015


Money Street – Continued

• Tree No 30A is on the western corner with Monger Street – see image below left. It originally had three structural branches one of which has been removed. Decay has spread from the old wound down into the base of the stem. The tree consequently has an asymmetrical form. During the inspection some of the exposed wood covering the basal lesion was taken out to see how much residual wood remains on the roadside – see image below right. The base of the stem still appears sound. It is recommended to selectively remove the larger pollards as soon as is possible.

Tree No 30A at corner with Monger street Accumulated rubbish exited cavity when

opened!!!!

It should be mentioned that bees are active in the crowns of the following subject trees –

• Money Street – Tree No – 18A - o/s house No 9 Tree No – 20A – o/s house No 17


THYER TREE VALUATION The consultant’s brief requested a monetary valuation to be carried out for each subject tree. There are 62 subject trees. To evaluate each one takes half an hour. This consultant has selected two trees in good condition with good health. These two examples should give a monetary estimate representing the more valuable (dollar terms) trees. This consultant has used the Thyer tree evaluation method as it is an Australian system. Peter Thyer (the compiler of the method) has been contacted and the latest version has been used (Thyer Tree Valuation Worksheet 2000b.) A more recent updated version is in trial and this consultant considers it to be too complicated for this project. Many countries produce their own valuation system –

• UK – Helliwell Method • UK - CAVAT (Capital Asset Value for Amenity Trees) • UK – TreeAZ (Barrel) • NZ – STEMS – Standard Tree Evaluation Method – Flook 1996 • Spain – Norma Granada – 1999 • USA – CTLA – 2000

Subject Tree Nos 14 – Monger St and Tree No 20A – Money St were used as models for the dollar valuation. The worksheets can be viewed in Appendix 3. Tree No 14 – Monger St appears to have a value of - $72,408.33. This is for a tree expected to live 100yrs+ More realistically as a street tree we may assume that its life may be harder than a similar pollard in a park situation and if we change the age parameter to an expected life of 20-50 years then the dollar vale is $64,053.52 Tree No 20 - Money St appears to have a value of - $76,787.31 This is for a tree expected to live 100yrs+ If we reappraise the tree’s age to 20-50yrs expectancy then the dollar value is $67,927.22 Tree evaluation is a subjective procedure whichever method is used. Another arboriculturist is likely to arrive at a different value. Please note that that the planting cost (Thyer Tree Valuation Worksheet 2000b) is based on Landscape NSW & ACT Ltd. Ed 14 June 2011 Guideline Schedule of Rates. The Landscape Industries Association of WA currently does not have such a value.


REPLACEMENT TREES There appear to be five trees to be removed, possibly six. This is discounting the vacant tree sites in both streets which are 7 in Monger Street and 4 in Money Street. There are two vacant planting pits o/s unit 36/14 Money St but probably only enough future space for one London Plane. It is recommended to replace the vacant sites and subject trees programmed for removal with London Plane trees In an ideal world the replacement trees could be made from cuttings of the original stock taken from the remaining London Plane trees in the state nursery at Hamel – see ‘Background History – Site’ above. The provenance and presumably the quality would be the same. Some local authorities such as The City of South Perth do have their own nursery and have grown on cultivars of Cape Lilac – Melia azedarach called ‘Elite’ which came from SA as suggested by this consultant. These trees do not produce fruits. Nurseries such as ‘Gillden Tree Farm’ (Wattleup near Spearwood) could be approached to collect cuttings and grow them on. The more traditional method where the provenance and possibly plant quality is uncertain is to buy the plant in as an advanced stock. Larger trees such as a 90ltr bagged stock is preferable than a whip type plant. Plants should be selected or grown with a clear stem of at least 2m agl once in situ. Ensure that the plants are in fact Platanus x hispanica – London Plane and not P.orientalis – Oriental Plane. A balance between expected vandalism and plant tolerance (size) to site conditions must be sought. The exact cost and planting of must be sought from a reputable nursery. ‘Gilden Tree Farm’ (m - 0409378354 – Proprieter – Steve Mumford) in my experience consistently produces high quality stock and the owner will plant out the new trees. As with most nurseries orders have to be placed a year in advance as plants are generally grown to order. Mr Mumfords 90ltr bagged stock of London Plane are $165 (incl gst) and the cost to deliver 10 trees (all) is $88. Planting costs are negotiable with The City of Vincent. Ellenby Tree Farm (www.ellenbytreefarm.com) sells 90ltr bagged stock for $198 (wholesale incl gst). The delivery charge for 10 such trees is $159.50. Planting cost for planting 10 trees is $925. Complete cost for 10 trees, purchase, delivery and plant out is $3064.50 Perhaps The City of Vincent could collect and plant the trees. There will other money required for stakes, ties, watering etc.

http://www.ellenbytreefarm.com/


RECOMMENDATIONS

• Listing of all retained subject trees in Municipal Heritage Inventory of the City of Vincent

• Initiate listing of all retained subject trees in State Heritage Register –

this report should be forwarded to the Heritage Council of WA for their consideration

• Carry out all proposed tree work in winter 2013 – includes ASAP work

which MUST be carried out

• Implement repollard/selective repollard program

• Repollard subject trees in Monger Street – Tree Nos 4,7,9,10,11 & 12 annually – trees under power lines - consider removal of these trees with 10-15 years

• Consider replanting empty tree sites and subject trees to be removed

with ‘cuttings’ collected and grown on at a growers/nursery to retain provenance

• Reinspect subject trees in January 2015 – all sites

CONCLUSION In investigating old or veteran trees, the arboriculturist must not only report on the technical aspects of their health and condition, but must consider the history of the immediate area surrounding the trees. By investigating all of these elements a picture will begin to evolve as to how best to manage the tree stock, not only for the immediate future, but for those generations yet to arrive.Old or veteran trees are just as important to the emotional well being of the community than the well documented heritage buildings that surround them. They both contribute to a whole balanced community structure giving a sense of place and more importantly, that of belonging which is most important to the human psyche.If the subject trees can be managed following this consultant’s guidelines, then they will have a better chance for a longer lived future. ‘While remembering that the object is to retain the tree for as long as possible with minimal risk’ - Claus Mattheck DISCLAIMER STATEMENT Jonathan Epps is an independent arboricultural consultant. He is professionally qualified and a founding, accredited member of the Institute of Australian Consulting Arboriculturists. Tree examinations, for various outcomes, including structural defects and health analysis are a large part of his practice. General advice is given for all urban trees. These examinations (Visual Tree Assessments - VTA) are carried out from ground level. Great care is undertaken during tree examinations but it is impossible to detect every condition which could possibly lead to be structural failure of a tree. Trees may fail for an unspecified reason that is not fully understood by the profession. The problem(s) may be underground or hidden inside the tree. For this reason, VTA’s are not guaranteed under all circumstances or for a specified period of time. In addition, recommended treatment cannot be guaranteed including those treatments carried out which are not recommended by Mr Epps


REFERENCES

• ‘Dictionary for Managing Trees in Urban Environments’ - Danny B Draper and Peter A Richards - CSIRO 2009

• ‘Trees: Their Natural History’ - Peter Thomas - Cambridge 2000 • ‘Trees and Woodland in the British Landscape’ - O Rackham, Phoenix 1976 • ‘Street Tree Valuation Systems’ - FC (UK) Research Note - April 2011 • ‘A Short Guide to the London Plane’ - Robin Hull 2009 • ‘Environmental Arboriculture, Tree Ecology & Veteran Tree Management’ -

N Fay 2002 • ‘A Review of Tree Risk Assessment using Minimally Invasive Technologies

and two Case Studies’ – P van Wassenaer and M Richardson 2009 • ‘Field Guide for visual tree assessment (VTA)’. Arboricultural Journal –

18(1) – 1-23 – C Matteck and H Breloer

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank the following people for their help in preparing this document. Danny Draper, IACA, general pollard advice Martin Peacock, IACA, advice on fungi in London Plane trees Peter Thyer, advice on tree valuation Rodney Helliwell, advice on tree valuation John Viska, President of WA Garden History Society – advice on subject trees history Glen McLeod, advice on local history of Money Street City of Vincent – Historical Librarians Battye Library – photographic image on page 7


APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 – PROPOSED TREE WORKS Monger Street – Proposed works winter 2013

• Trees for felling/removal (x5) – Tree Nos - 1(dead young tree), 5,6,8 – under power lines – Tree No 25 – structurally unsound, on opposite side of road, south side

• Trees to repollard (x6) – Tree Nos - 4,7,9,10,12 – under power lines –

Tree No – 19 – on opposite side of road, tree crown health affected by Galahs

• Trees to selectively repollard – Tree No 18

• Prune roots – Tree No – 7

• Remove major dead wood, detached hung up branches and lift crown to

statutory requirements – also prune branches away from o/h power lines on opposite side of street where appropriate (x18) – Tree Nos – 13,14,15,16,17,19,20,21,22,23,24,26,27,28,29,30,31,32

• Reinstate public footpath (x3) – Tree Nos 24,26,27

• Stem Nutrient implants - MedicapMD© - Tree No 19

• No tree works required – Tree No 11

Monger Street – Repollard/Selectively Repollarded Schedule The trees on the north side should be repollarded annually as currently are growing under power lines

• Repollard (2015) – Tree Nos - 14,21,24,27,29 • Repollard (2017) – Tree Nos – 23,26,30,32 • Repollard (2019) – Tree Nos – 1(if new tree planted in winter

2013),2,3,15,19,22 • Repollard (2021) – Tree Nos – 13,17,28, • Repollard (2023) – Tree Nos – 16,18,20,31


Money Street – Proposed works winter 2013

• Trees for felling/removal – Tree No 4A may be considered following further investigation by Mr Epps. This must be carried out ASAP

• Trees to repollard or selectively repollard (as marked) (x5) - (remove all

dead wood, detached hung up branches and lift crown to statutory requirements) – Tree Nos – 8A,9A,18A,24A,30A

• Remove dead wood, detached hung up branches, lift crown to statutory

requirements, prune branches away from houses where applicable - ALL SUBJECT TREES – including Tree Nos – 5A,15A,16A,17A – all Stout Paperbark trees

• Reinstate public footpath – Tree No 13A

Money Street Repollard /Selectively Repollard Schedule

• Repollard - 2015 - Tree Nos – 2A,14A,19A,22A,29A • Lift crown only - 2016 - Tree No 13A • Repollard - 2017 - Tree Nos – 10A,20A,21A,28A • Repollard - 2019 - Tree Nos – 1A,7A,23A,26A • Repollard - 2021 - Tree Nos – 3A,8A,10A,12A(?),24A,27A • Repollard - 2023 - Tree Nos – 6A,9A,11A,18A,25A

NB – If Tree No 4A is to be retained then it must be repollarded annually


APPENDIX 2 - GLOSSARY


APPENDIX 3 – THYER VALUATION WORKSHEET 2000b


APPENDIX 4 – STARS – TREE ASSESSMENT RATING SYSTEM


APPENDIX 5 – AS4373 – PRUNING OF AMENITY TREES p.11

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