profile—if there are voids, you will find them with the probe.
Trees that are loose at the roots should be considered a failure in progress. There may be exceptions to this rule in certain soils and with certain forests. I’m reminded of a zip line in Alaska built on glacial till, where an astounding amount of movement in the trees is normal, especially during wet weather. If ground anchors are in use, they should also be inspected for any signs of movement. You should also be looking at trees with basal codominant stems (one tree with two stems growing directly adjacent to and in contact with one another or emerging from one trunk) or trees growing adjacent to each other to see if any soil cracking, trunk cracks, or other signs of stress from a load are present. Make the rounds. Next, using your map, visit all the trees that are within range of course elements. This should put you further away from the course trees and allow the use of binoculars to scan the canopy. Look carefully for broken but still attached branches, hanging branch- es, and changes in codominant unions. Inspect at course height. Only after com- pleting all the aforementioned inspec- tions should you access the course and begin an inspection at course height. For this assessment, some knowledge of how the course is constructed is helpful. An accredited ACCT inspector should look at the course if you suspect any problems with hardware, cable attachments, etc. You get a very different perspective looking down at tree canopies from height, and you may notice things that you can’t easily see from the ground. Use photographic records of course in- spection points to compare with current conditions. The more accurate this data is, the more certain you can be that things are OK—or not. Understanding the condition of your trees when the weather is calm will help identify issues that result from weather extremes—and keep your trees healthy and your property safe for staff and visitors to enjoy.
The crack in the soil was caused by a tree rocking in the wind, and serves as an indication that the tree is not stable.
changes that may indicate movement in the root plate. This, of course, applies to both long-term monitoring as well as in the aftermath of bad weather. Again, your consulting arborist can help train staff on what to look for. Further reading. I recommend two books by Dr. Claus Mattheck as resourc- es for understanding tree anatomy and failure modality: “The Face of Failure in Nature and Engineering”; and “Updat- ed Guide for Visual Tree Assessment.” These books will help you to under- stand the structural anatomy of trees by observing them.
to the loading and the need of the tree to resist, it’s possible to learn to look at a tree and see where the forces are active. Take the long view. Establish a protocol for any inspection or procedure that you repeat. To this end, when learning to observe trees, start by taking a long view of the area you will be inspect- ing. This may involve choosing several observation points with which you are familiar and use repeatedly along the course or tour. Again, the use of historical photographs from these ob- servational aspects can be very helpful in understanding if there have been changes to the canopy after an extreme weather event. All about that base. Next, visit the bas- es of all the course trees, focusing on any that may have monitoring points such as a plumb line installed. You are looking for any sign of movement at the root plate of the tree. For this, I find a steel soil probe to be very help - ful. Use it where you see potential soil movement by pushing it into the soil
Ins and Outs of Inspecting Trees
When it comes to tree health, the four different forces that park operators should pay attention to are com- pression, tension, sheer, and torsion. All trees and combinations of trees experience loads that will increase any of these.
As trees adapt their growth according
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