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Re: TH: Advice Please
Post-To: Tree-House@Majordomo.Flora.Com (Community Forestry) ----------
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On Fri, 16 May 1997 Grow19@aol.com wrote:
> Post-To: Tree-House@Majordomo.Flora.Com (Community Forestry) ----------
> -------
> I direct a community gardening program in DC and am providing some advice to
> a community development organization that is getting trees from the Natl Tree
> Trust, and now I need advice. NTT will provide the trees in Spring 1998.
> They are 1 year old seedlings of four varieties -- willow oak, redbud, red
> maple, and white pine -- 100 of each.
>
> We will need to prepare a plan for their location and have developed two
> possible scenarios. Now we need some guidance due to the very young age of
> the seedlings:
>
> 1. We pick permanent locations for the trees -- in parks, in public housing,
> at community organizations, etc. and put the trees there when we get them.
> If so, what kind of protection would be best for them and for how long, so
> that they survive well.
I wouldn't take option #1 except is some very specialized cases. The
Parks Department in New York City won't plant a tree with less than a 2
inch caliper in parks and it requires a 3+ inch caliper for street
locations. There is simply no way to protect very small trees in any
high-traffic area.
>
> 2. We decide they are too small to be put in their permanent location, so we
> pick a place to create a tree bank and plant them there for some time first.
> Is this a better idea? How long should they be protected in a tree bank
> before transplanting? How long will be too long, after which the trees would
> be too hard to move safely, using ordinary volunteer person-power, not
> commercial tree moving equipment.
I would go with option #2. Use the tree bank as an educational tool
with a local school. Have the kids tend the trees in the courtyar/vacant
lot near the school. This process should last until the trees are big
enough (age isn't the primary determinant, size is) to be put out
successfully. You'll want to think of ways to keep the roots compact
enough to dig up in a few years.
Ordinary people can move really big trees. Me, a root-ball mover, two
wooden planks can get a 400+ pound tree into a pick-up. Levers are
wonderful. A root ball mover is essentially a big hand truck with a
large basket at the bottom. They cost under $200 and are extremely
useful when dealing with any tree. Pick-up trucks are available often
through local parks departments (you might even get one with a moveable
flat-bed and a wynch but that's a little high tech.
Good luck with your efforts
Lisa
New York City
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