Risk is in the Eye of the Homeowner, Part 1

Earlier this year, I visited Ft Mitchell to assess a large red oak in a small backyard. The majestic oak measured 46" dbh and reached far above the owner's two-story home. Easily over 70 years old, the oak had a severe vertical crack due to its codominant structure. I could see light through the split in the tree's trunk. I stood in awe of the tree as its far-reaching canopy moved and swayed with the wind. Somehow, this tree had managed to hold itself together, probably for most of its life, with this defect. Over the past several years, multiple devastating storms and straight-line winds have demolished large trees in the areas in and around Fort Mitchell. These storms have prompted many homeowners to remove imperfect trees near their homes. Undeniably, a formal tree risk assessment would categorize this tree as an imminent danger to life and property. The homeowner loves this tree. She watered it through last summer's drought. Her grandkids play, and her chickens scratch around under the canopy of this tree. I found the tree to be deserving of all the respect it demanded by surviving against the odds all these years. Thankfully, Jake Gerrein and his crew of dedicated arborists took on the major project of preserving this tree. Read more in my next entry as I explain the enormous task of bracing and cabling this oak!

– posted 4/20/2025