White Oak at Aberton Circle

Yesterday, after a long wait to align weather, schedule, and equipment availability, Mr. Lee McBride, our consulting arborist, conducted the resistograph analysis of our white oak at Aberton Circle. When Lee and I first discussed this tree he told me that the tree was certainly hollow, but would be rated as sound if the side walls, at a height of 4 1/2 feet, were at least 12 inches thick. None of the test sites sampled met that requirement. The results ranged from about 8 1/2 inches to 2 1/2 inches. Importantly, Lee told me the organism causing the internal decay was still consuming the tree from the inside out.

Lee will provide a formal report within a week or so. He briefly explained the results before he left for his next job. The tree is not sound, and does present a hazard. Since the tree is not adjacent to a structure and people are around it infrequently, he did not rate it as an immediate threat. His report will more fully explain his analysis, risk rating, and provide us with recommendations. He did recommend we immediately remove the swing, and consider roping off the tree as we did with the previous three trees. We will do both as soon as possible.

Once we have his formal report, the Board will decide on our next steps.