Large tree transplants

Sean Freeman · 8th April 2007, 04:50 PM

Well here is the first six photos of a great many taken of the transplants we did nearly three weeks back. Prep time before the excavations 6mths (should have been 12mths but developers are annoying things and if you let them get to you well....

So we go from the excavation at the planting site to opening up the front of the root ball.

l2edneck · 8th April 2007, 07:14 PM

Quote:

(Ekka how can I get these attached already open so people can just look at them without opening the files?)

Upload, then right click on the link,go to properties at the bottom and copy the url.

Then go to reply menu and click "insert image" the square next to the quote button.Then add the url.

Great Job BTW !!!

Ekka · 8th April 2007, 07:31 PM

Yeah, where's the rest of the pics, like how you got the beams under it.

Good job.

Nice looking soil too.

Sean Freeman · 8th April 2007, 07:52 PM

Beams were driven under using 20T excavator

My big mistake not wrapping the root ball immediately it was exposed..stupid

Beams under ready for the lift.....

Sean Freeman · 8th April 2007, 08:02 PM

Day of the first lift...

Its important that we all know whos in charge..thats me sitting down against the fencing trying to look interested

Now thats a D shackle!

Lets put some of that crane power to work....

a_lopa · 8th April 2007, 08:05 PM

Cool!

Sean Freeman · 8th April 2007, 08:09 PM

Lets get her out and over!

Now thats a relief back on the ground.

Sean Freeman · 8th April 2007, 09:16 PM

Just to show that sometimes things don't always go the way you planned....2nd tree, took an extra 150/200mm of root ball depth since felt the 1st tree was not adequate in root mass.

Oh yeah this guy cleaned out under the pipes so we could put the beams in...some guys have the best jobs!

More soil = more weight

Just enough soil to bend the I beam!!

Doesn't matter how many people look at it its bent

So we'll lift with two beams at each end then

Ekka · 9th April 2007, 12:18 AM

How many ton were the lifts and how many ton was the crane.

Also the pipes that were rammed in ... how?

What sort of pipes were they?

How was the vertical circle around the tree cut?

When the pipes are inserted underneath and the tree lifted were there any roots (like a tap root) preventing the lift?

And finally, what sort of tree is it and why the move?

Sean Freeman · 9th April 2007, 12:46 AM

Ha ha, just a few questions? Look anyone viewing these photos if you have any questions in addition to Ekkas, that I'll answer in a sec, just post them.

Ok Ekka: 1st tree 24tonnes, second tree 35tonnes, why'd the beam fail? probably because we used it's life in the 1st lift inaddition to adding to the load in the 2nd by taking more soil.

Pipes were rammed in using the excavator and the "drive line" we had dug out..ie enough room for the pipe 6m + the excavator 18m. Some went in about 3m easy then needed to be hammered in using a rock breaker.

We used what we could get in Townsville (trust me we spent about 20hrs chasing what we wanted) settled on 100mm nominal bore 4.5mmwall 6.5m length galvanised finish...we needed around 30 pipes.

The root ball had been partially cut 6mths before , then final cut day before the lift..water blaster and vacuum truck, I manually cut the roots exposed with a saw.

No "tap root" but your question is very relevant...the reason for the change in depthof the 2nd tree relates to the physical nature of the soil and a stuff up on my part. Until you do the actual excavation you don't really know what you're going to find in the soil horizons...ie how deep the roots are in the soil profile...I made a mistake with the 1st tree we're near a river here and the soil is sandy alluvials, the roots are deper than I amticipated. the 1st tree when we undercut the root ball did have more vertical sinkers than I had thought..NO tap root, doesn't exist (I know you know this Ekka just being melodramatic!) Therefore the 2nd tree i went extra 150/200mm and we bent the beam.

Why the move (another good question) I provided the Arb impact Statement for the DA plans for the residential development going on in this area, and as part of that was required to assess trees inside the proposed construction envelope for their suitability for transplant..I assessed these two as being candidates for transplant, became part of the approval specs therefore we didi the transplant.

The trees are Albizia saman as tough if not tougher than Ficus you could literally cut all tha main scaffolds off these trees and cut the roots to within 2m of the stem they would still live (wouldn't be any good long term but they'd live)

Ekka · 9th April 2007, 12:58 AM

What do you think of this idea.

Cut the roots a season prior about 300mm shorter than finish cut circumference. This gives a season in same soil profile for new roots and finer roots to grow. Then the recut is only taking the newer smaller roots with an established framework of roots behind them?

Sean Freeman · 9th April 2007, 01:07 AM

Sorry Ekka meant to attach this we cut the roots like this 6mths before would have liked at least 12mths but you know what its like with developers

so partially cut the roots back filled with sand and compost mix into the trenches.
trans trench.JPG

but yes can't see why your suggested method wouldn't work just as well.

Sean Freeman · 9th April 2007, 01:15 AM

Out takes what we should probably keep quite about!!

Crap that aint supposed to happen...maybe we should have tightly wrapped the root ball first!!

Somehow those don't look right, get away from there Tim you're only attracting attention!

Crickey they're all over the place! Hope they pull back into place when we lift.

That chain needs to be moved golly those chains look heavy eh?

just when you think everything is going so well the damn tree don't fit the f@#$%^g hole!!!

Will keep you all informed how these little babies go over the next 12mths..

TrevMcRev · 9th April 2007, 02:41 AM

Awesome job Boa. Well Done.

8th April 2007, 07:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 5,673	Yeah, where's the rest of the pics, like how you got the beams under it. Good job. Nice looking soil too. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

8th April 2007, 08:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
a_lopa Astronaut Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Drouin Posts: 837	Cool! __________________ Free Tree Industry Link Directory Drouin tree lopping, land clearing and stump removals

9th April 2007, 12:18 AM	#9 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 5,673	How many ton were the lifts and how many ton was the crane. Also the pipes that were rammed in ... how? What sort of pipes were they? How was the vertical circle around the tree cut? When the pipes are inserted underneath and the tree lifted were there any roots (like a tap root) preventing the lift? And finally, what sort of tree is it and why the move? __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

9th April 2007, 12:46 AM	#10 (permalink)
Sean Freeman PDF King & Arborist Extrodinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Townsville Nth Queensland & Gold Coast Sth Queensland Posts: 1,521	Ha ha, just a few questions? Look anyone viewing these photos if you have any questions in addition to Ekkas, that I'll answer in a sec, just post them. Ok Ekka: 1st tree 24tonnes, second tree 35tonnes, why'd the beam fail? probably because we used it's life in the 1st lift inaddition to adding to the load in the 2nd by taking more soil. Pipes were rammed in using the excavator and the "drive line" we had dug out..ie enough room for the pipe 6m + the excavator 18m. Some went in about 3m easy then needed to be hammered in using a rock breaker. We used what we could get in Townsville (trust me we spent about 20hrs chasing what we wanted) settled on 100mm nominal bore 4.5mmwall 6.5m length galvanised finish...we needed around 30 pipes. The root ball had been partially cut 6mths before , then final cut day before the lift..water blaster and vacuum truck, I manually cut the roots exposed with a saw. No "tap root" but your question is very relevant...the reason for the change in depthof the 2nd tree relates to the physical nature of the soil and a stuff up on my part. Until you do the actual excavation you don't really know what you're going to find in the soil horizons...ie how deep the roots are in the soil profile...I made a mistake with the 1st tree we're near a river here and the soil is sandy alluvials, the roots are deper than I amticipated. the 1st tree when we undercut the root ball did have more vertical sinkers than I had thought..NO tap root, doesn't exist (I know you know this Ekka just being melodramatic!) Therefore the 2nd tree i went extra 150/200mm and we bent the beam. Why the move (another good question) I provided the Arb impact Statement for the DA plans for the residential development going on in this area, and as part of that was required to assess trees inside the proposed construction envelope for their suitability for transplant..I assessed these two as being candidates for transplant, became part of the approval specs therefore we didi the transplant. The trees are Albizia saman as tough if not tougher than Ficus you could literally cut all tha main scaffolds off these trees and cut the roots to within 2m of the stem they would still live (wouldn't be any good long term but they'd live) __________________ Sean Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper, That we may record our emptiness. - Kahlil Gibran

9th April 2007, 12:58 AM	#11 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 5,673	What do you think of this idea. Cut the roots a season prior about 300mm shorter than finish cut circumference. This gives a season in same soil profile for new roots and finer roots to grow. Then the recut is only taking the newer smaller roots with an established framework of roots behind them? __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

9th April 2007, 01:07 AM	#12 (permalink)
Sean Freeman PDF King & Arborist Extrodinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Townsville Nth Queensland & Gold Coast Sth Queensland Posts: 1,521	Sorry Ekka meant to attach this we cut the roots like this 6mths before would have liked at least 12mths but you know what its like with developers so partially cut the roots back filled with sand and compost mix into the trenches. trans trench.JPG but yes can't see why your suggested method wouldn't work just as well. __________________ Sean Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper, That we may record our emptiness. - Kahlil Gibran

9th April 2007, 02:41 AM	#14 (permalink)
TrevMcRev Astronaut Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 672	Awesome job Boa. Well Done. __________________ Melbourne Arborist, Total Tree Care, Pruning, Tree and Stump Removal