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<br />John Miller Architects, Saint Elizabeth Seton Church <br />Tree Report, June 2006 <br /> <br />HortScience, Inc. <br />Page 3 <br /> <br /> Table 1. Tree condition & frequency of occurrence. <br /> Saint Elizabeth Seton Church, Pleasanton <br />Common Name Scientific Name Condition Rating No. of <br /> Poor Fair Good Trees <br /> (1-2) (3) (4-5) <br />Deodar cedar Cedrus deodara 8 8 <br />Calif. black walnut Jug/ans hindsii 1 1 <br />English walnut Jug/ans regia 1 1 <br />London plane Platanus x acerifolia 2 2 <br />Total 1 1 10 12 <br /> 8% 8% 84% 100% <br /> <br />Suitability for Preservation <br />Before evaluating the impacts that will occur during development, it is important to consider <br />the quality of the tree resource itself, and the potential for individual trees to function well over <br />an extended length of time. Trees that are preserved on development s~es must be carefully <br />selected to make sure that they may survive development impacts, adapt to a new <br />environment, and perform well in the landscape. <br /> <br />Our goal is to identify trees that have the potential for long-term health, structural stability and <br />longevity. For trees growing in open fields, away from areas where people and property are <br />present, structural defects and/or poor health presents a low risk of damage or injury if they <br />fail. However, we must be concerned about safety in use areas. Therefore, where <br />development encroaches into existing plantings, we must consider their structural stability as <br />well as their potential to grow and thrive in a new environment. <br /> <br />Evaluation of suitability for preservation considers several factors: <br /> <br />. Tree health <br />Healthy, vigorous trees are better able to tolerate impacts such as root injury, <br />demolition of existing structures, changes in soil grade and moisture, and soil <br />compaction than are non-vigorous trees. <br /> <br />. Structural Integrity <br />Trees with significant amounts of wood decay and other structural defects that cannot <br />be corrected are likely to fail. Such trees should not be preserved in areas where <br />damage to people or property is likely. <br /> <br />. Species response <br />There is a wide variation in the response of individual species to construction impacts <br />and changes in the environment. In our experience, for example, walnuts are <br />sensitive to construction impacts, while London plane is tolerant of site disturbance. <br /> <br />. Tree age and longevity <br />Old trees, while having significant emotional and aesthetic appeal, have lim~ed <br />physiological capacity to adjust to an altered environment. Young trees are better <br />able to generate new tissue and respond to change. <br />