Now we're in the thick of it. The full effects of last year's drought are becoming evident. I feel like I've been looking at nothing but stressed-out trees and lost causes. What a shame. Note to selves, people - get your irrigation systems set up NOW for the coming summer. Soaker hose - it's cheap!!
One side-effect of the vast number of trees needing to be removed is that I've had plenty of occasions to pull tree permits lately. Or at least inform people that they're going to need one. Our new Heritage Tree ordinance is catching a lot of people by surprise, although I'm not sure why it should.
The new ordinance protects - and defines as a "Heritage Tree" - any tree that measures 24" diameter at breast height (4.5 ft. off the ground) or larger. For residential properties, any tree 19" or greater was already considered protected, and for commercial properties, trees 8" or greater were - and are - protected (and YES, condo-complexes and apartment buildings, you are considered commercial). The "Heritage Tree" thing just adds an additional layer of protection on to trees that were already protected. For the vast majority of you, the procedure for obtaining a removal permit will effectively be the same as it used to be.
To our builders and developers: Now, more than ever, it is critical that you have a pre-construction consultation. Too many times over the last few months, I've been called to a site that has been red-tagged for violating tree ordinances. And it's so completely unnecessary! The down-time can cost you thousands of dollars and then you'll be subject to the immediate costs associated with mitigation. You can prevent this by simply making the initial investment in a consultation before you begin. Once you unwittingly trench through those roots in the critical root zone, you can't un-sever them. Do you even know where the critical root zone is? Because it's worth a lot of money for you to educate yourself. Or simply hire someone who knows.
Here's a link to the actual ordinance:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/trees/downloads/final_heritage_ordinance.pdf
Enough of my diatribe. I have an early-morning red-tag situation to go look at.......
Monday, May 3, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Discovering the east side parks....
Tired of Zilker, the Greenbelt, Shipe, Waterloo, Pease? Let me introduce you to the east side parks!
Little K and I spent a beautiful Friday afternoon out at my favorite, Big Webberville Park (as opposed to the "little" Webberville park). Just head east out MLK/FM-969, pass under the toll road, pass Austin's Colony, continue on past the little burg of Webberville itself, and you'll eventually make it to the Big Webberville Park. While I enjoy the endless possibilities for entertainment down at Zilker, and it's wonderful if my only goal is to wear my kid out, I think there's something to be said for a wide-open, old-school park with just enough to do, but without all the logistical hassles and overstimulation of the urban super-park. You'll find playground equipment, a basketball court, convenient facilities, a boat launch, waterside trails and a pier, but all in a sort of de-centralized, lazy arrangement that encourages picnics, fish-watching, and games with sticks and rocks (remember those?). You won't worry if your child wanders 100 feet away, because you'll still be able to see them. There will probably be a couple of other people there, but you'll most likely learn their names after 10 minutes or so. You won't fight for a parking space. You'll probably, in fact, wonder if the park is always so empty. And the good news is, it is. As far as the trees go, think about the shameful condition of fully 1/2 of Zilker's trees, and picture the opposite. Big Webberville boasts a park full of great big shade trees, healthy and happy, with nice big picnic tables nestled into their shade. So bring the kids and the cooler. And maybe a fishing pole....
OR, you can put your canoe in over at the Little Webberville park (rentals available at Cook's Canoes - right up the driveway), and take a slow paddle - about 3 hours or so - down to Big Webberville park. For a small fee, Cook's will pick you up and take you back to your car. Little Webberville has a tiny playset and a porta-pottie, but that's about it other than the boat ramp. And your boat had better be small.
For a full-service park, check out East Metropolitan Park. It's got it all. Playing fields (the website says there are 2 soccer fields - but it looks more like 10 to me!), fishing, picnic areas, hiking trails, playgrounds, and a swimming pool. The kid's pool is fantastic, with slides and fountains, while the lap pool is separate and supervised. Admission to the pool is free with a YMCA membership, by the way. Despite all these amenities, though, it never feels crowded or overwhelming - probably because it sprawls over 273 acres! Now that's a park!
Little K and I spent a beautiful Friday afternoon out at my favorite, Big Webberville Park (as opposed to the "little" Webberville park). Just head east out MLK/FM-969, pass under the toll road, pass Austin's Colony, continue on past the little burg of Webberville itself, and you'll eventually make it to the Big Webberville Park. While I enjoy the endless possibilities for entertainment down at Zilker, and it's wonderful if my only goal is to wear my kid out, I think there's something to be said for a wide-open, old-school park with just enough to do, but without all the logistical hassles and overstimulation of the urban super-park. You'll find playground equipment, a basketball court, convenient facilities, a boat launch, waterside trails and a pier, but all in a sort of de-centralized, lazy arrangement that encourages picnics, fish-watching, and games with sticks and rocks (remember those?). You won't worry if your child wanders 100 feet away, because you'll still be able to see them. There will probably be a couple of other people there, but you'll most likely learn their names after 10 minutes or so. You won't fight for a parking space. You'll probably, in fact, wonder if the park is always so empty. And the good news is, it is. As far as the trees go, think about the shameful condition of fully 1/2 of Zilker's trees, and picture the opposite. Big Webberville boasts a park full of great big shade trees, healthy and happy, with nice big picnic tables nestled into their shade. So bring the kids and the cooler. And maybe a fishing pole....
OR, you can put your canoe in over at the Little Webberville park (rentals available at Cook's Canoes - right up the driveway), and take a slow paddle - about 3 hours or so - down to Big Webberville park. For a small fee, Cook's will pick you up and take you back to your car. Little Webberville has a tiny playset and a porta-pottie, but that's about it other than the boat ramp. And your boat had better be small.
For a full-service park, check out East Metropolitan Park. It's got it all. Playing fields (the website says there are 2 soccer fields - but it looks more like 10 to me!), fishing, picnic areas, hiking trails, playgrounds, and a swimming pool. The kid's pool is fantastic, with slides and fountains, while the lap pool is separate and supervised. Admission to the pool is free with a YMCA membership, by the way. Despite all these amenities, though, it never feels crowded or overwhelming - probably because it sprawls over 273 acres! Now that's a park!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Spring is almost here!
I love this time of year. The buds are swelling on most of the trees, fruit trees are blooming, and live oaks are changing their leaves. Pretty soon, we'll be seeing the fresh kelly green of the first cedar elm leaves - our harbingers of spring - and the live oaks will, hopefully, be exchanging those stressed-out, buggy, fungus-y leaves for some nice fresh ones. Last year was hard on them. Let's cross our fingers (and knock on wood?) that this year is kinder.
Finally, our Texas mountain laurel will bloom this year. Sheesh. We've had it in the ground for about five years, and it's never bloomed for us! Pear and peach and plum trees are also blooming - including the native Mexican plums, which we can smell from a mile away.
I had a lovely time visiting the JBG gardens on Saturday, and bought a few heirloom tomatos - check them out, especially if you're on the east side: http://www.jbgorganic.com/ I believe they are continuing their plant sale next weekend, and they may be giving another Slow Food tour. If you go, be sure not to miss the giant Live oak by the parking area!
Finally, our Texas mountain laurel will bloom this year. Sheesh. We've had it in the ground for about five years, and it's never bloomed for us! Pear and peach and plum trees are also blooming - including the native Mexican plums, which we can smell from a mile away.
I had a lovely time visiting the JBG gardens on Saturday, and bought a few heirloom tomatos - check them out, especially if you're on the east side: http://www.jbgorganic.com/ I believe they are continuing their plant sale next weekend, and they may be giving another Slow Food tour. If you go, be sure not to miss the giant Live oak by the parking area!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Notes From The Understory
Dear friends,
With all the enthusiasm and good intentions of a first-time blogger, I thought I'd share today's good experience with you. Markus and I, by virtue of our business, look at lots - I mean, lots - of trees that are suffering for one reason or another. Mostly urban trees - trees in subdivisions, trees along sidewalks, in fence lines, over houses.... We do what we can to help these trees, and sometimes, unfortunately, there isn't much we can do. Trees are living organisms, and, like humans, they can only cope with so much. The drought of '09 has meant a huge increase in the number of times we've had to say "there's not much we can do." And it's depressing not only for the homeowners to whom we have to deliver the bad news, but also for us. We hate to see so many trees succumbing to drought stress and all of the factors that complicate and exacerbate it- like fungus, bacteria, soil compaction, over-pruning, mechanical damage.... I know, from talking to fellow tree company owners, that we're not alone in our sentiment.
So it was a particular joy today to visit with a client who has just purchased a property with virgin, untouched, trees. We looked at Live oaks that, best we can tell, have never been pruned, never been subjected to construction or soil compaction over their critical root zones, never been treated for any ailment, and never been fertilized. In short, they have never been interfered with. They've grown exactly where nature intended: in soil with just the right soil structure, just the right drainage, and just where that acorn happened to land.
And they are gorgeous. And huge. What a privilege to be asked to care for trees like these! Although they are full of dead wood, with grapevine aggressively entwining and limbs sprawling on the ground, it struck me how much more compromised our urban trees are, compared to these, from the very get-go (and by the way, in the preceding list, the only true threat to the overall health of a tree would be the grapevine). This is not news, I suppose. (And therefore not blog-worthy?) I know that for many people this is instinctual knowledge. But I think it's something we all must remember - arborists and homeowners alike. We ask our urban trees to live and thrive in environments that are a very far cry from what nature intended. And sometimes this is a very tall order. That said, we do have some excellent science on our side, don't we? The urban forest thanks you, scientists.
'Night folks!
P.S. I'll post photos of these fantastic trees tomorrow if the owner will let me.....
With all the enthusiasm and good intentions of a first-time blogger, I thought I'd share today's good experience with you. Markus and I, by virtue of our business, look at lots - I mean, lots - of trees that are suffering for one reason or another. Mostly urban trees - trees in subdivisions, trees along sidewalks, in fence lines, over houses.... We do what we can to help these trees, and sometimes, unfortunately, there isn't much we can do. Trees are living organisms, and, like humans, they can only cope with so much. The drought of '09 has meant a huge increase in the number of times we've had to say "there's not much we can do." And it's depressing not only for the homeowners to whom we have to deliver the bad news, but also for us. We hate to see so many trees succumbing to drought stress and all of the factors that complicate and exacerbate it- like fungus, bacteria, soil compaction, over-pruning, mechanical damage.... I know, from talking to fellow tree company owners, that we're not alone in our sentiment.
So it was a particular joy today to visit with a client who has just purchased a property with virgin, untouched, trees. We looked at Live oaks that, best we can tell, have never been pruned, never been subjected to construction or soil compaction over their critical root zones, never been treated for any ailment, and never been fertilized. In short, they have never been interfered with. They've grown exactly where nature intended: in soil with just the right soil structure, just the right drainage, and just where that acorn happened to land.
And they are gorgeous. And huge. What a privilege to be asked to care for trees like these! Although they are full of dead wood, with grapevine aggressively entwining and limbs sprawling on the ground, it struck me how much more compromised our urban trees are, compared to these, from the very get-go (and by the way, in the preceding list, the only true threat to the overall health of a tree would be the grapevine). This is not news, I suppose. (And therefore not blog-worthy?) I know that for many people this is instinctual knowledge. But I think it's something we all must remember - arborists and homeowners alike. We ask our urban trees to live and thrive in environments that are a very far cry from what nature intended. And sometimes this is a very tall order. That said, we do have some excellent science on our side, don't we? The urban forest thanks you, scientists.
'Night folks!
P.S. I'll post photos of these fantastic trees tomorrow if the owner will let me.....
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