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Tree Report, Peet's Coffee HortScience, Inc. Peter G. Shutts Page 4 Suitability for Preservation Before evaluating the impacts that will occur during development, it is important to consider the quality of the tree resource itself, and the potential for individual trees to function well over an extended length of time. Trees that are preserved on development sites must be carefully selected to ensure that they survive development impacts, adapt to a new environment, and perform well in the landscape. Our goal is to identify trees that have the potential for long -term health, structural stability and longevity. For trees growing in the open areas, structural defects and /or poor health presents a low risk of damage or injury if they fail. However, we must be concerned about safety when sites will be developed. Therefore, where development encroaches into existing plantings, we must consider the potential for trees to grow and thrive in a new environment as well as their structural stability. Where development will not occur, the normal life cycles of decline, structural failure and death should be allowed to continue. Evaluation of suitability for preservation considers several factors: • Tree health Healthy, vigorous trees are better able to tolerate impacts such as root injury, demolition of existing structures, changes in soil grade and moisture, and soil compaction than are non - vigorous trees. • Structural integrity Trees with significant amounts of wood decay and other structural defects that cannot be corrected are likely to fail. Such trees should not be preserved in areas where damage to people or property is likely. • Species response There is a wide variation in the response of individual species to construction impacts and changes in the environment. In our experience, for example, red ironbark is difficult to preserve. They rarely recover from injuries to the root system. In contrast, sweetgum is more tolerant of site disturbance. • Tree age and longevity Old trees, while having significant emotional and aesthetic appeal, have limited physiological capacity to adjust to an altered environment. Young trees are better able to generate new tissue and respond to change. Each tree was rated for suitability for preservation based upon its age, health, structural condition and ability to safely coexist within a development environment (see Tree Survey Form and Table 2)