Arborist and landscape architect argue over trees at Vintage Hall

 

Jonathan Plant & Associates has donated his time to designing a memorial garden at Vintage Hall in St. Helena, Calif.

Depending on whom you talk to either the trees at Vintage Hall in St. Helena, Calif., have already been damaged in a design as part of a new memorial garden, or the trees aren?EUR??,,????'???t in danger at all.

Arborist Paul DuBois, founder of Calistoga, Calif.-based Of the Woods Tree Care said work crews have already hurt trees and caused irreparable damage. Either way, it could take up to five years to discover the state of a scattering of Canary Island pines, Douglas firs, incense cedars and oaks.

St. Helena landscape architect Jonathan Plant of Jonathan Plant & Associates, has donated his time to the project that created a landscape plan to incorporate the existing trees as part of the high school. Maurice Helmer of Helmer & Sons Construction and Art Goulard, the superintendent of grounds and maintenance, have donated their time toward the project.

?EUR??,,????'??My biggest concern was the lack of an onsite arborist or an expert in tree care,?EUR??,,????'?? DuBois told LASN. ?EUR??,,????'??We?EUR??,,????'???ve worked on projects to protect the trees during construction. We?EUR??,,????'???ve got some tried and true methods that weren?EUR??,,????'???t even being looked at.?EUR??,,????'??

From his perspective, Plant said what DuBois did was like a drive-by-shooting, where DuBois made his observations of the site without getting out of his car. Plant said he tried to contact Dubois about the project, but he didn?EUR??,,????'???t want to talk. Plant has worked as a horticulturist and arborist for the past 12 years.

?EUR??,,????'??You drive by Vintage Hall and it looks like a moonscape,?EUR??,,????'?? said DuBois. ?EUR??,,????'??You see trenches, compacted soil without protection for the trees. At this point I don?EUR??,,????'???t think there?EUR??,,????'???s any solutions. I believe the damage is so extensive that the trees will have a 50 percent survival rate.?EUR??,,????'??

DuBois said that mortality rate could be dropped by rebuilding both the soil and root structure for the trees. Because the high school is part of the school district, it doesn?EUR??,,????'???t fall under the jurisdiction of city ordinances, said DuBois.

?EUR??,,????'??With all this construction, it?EUR??,,????'???s made the trees unsafe. Roots hold trees to the ground and once they?EUR??,,????'???ve been damaged, it limits a tree?EUR??,,????'???s ability to preserve its limbs and they end up falling off,?EUR??,,????'?? added DuBois. ?EUR??,,????'??I don?EUR??,,????'???t think a landscape architect necessarily has the ability to protect these trees which could be between 70 and 100 years old. If I was the arborist on this project, I would?EUR??,,????'???ve given a lot of leeway for the trees.?EUR??,,????'??

?EUR??,,????'??It looks like a tremendous amount of grading, but that?EUR??,,????'???s not the case,?EUR??,,????'?? told Plant to LASN. ?EUR??,,????'??There?EUR??,,????'???s slabs of sandstone and we?EUR??,,????'???re making a cross-over drainage swale. We?EUR??,,????'???ll recharge the area with an aquifier. Part of the issue was when (DuBois) saw a spiked roller out there. The parking lot area had to be compacted.?EUR??,,????'??

Plant said the only damage he saw was that a 18-inch by 6-inch tree was bumped. The soil level was maintained to within eight inches of the tree level, said Plant. Any remaining compaction will be alleviated with the new plantings. Hopefully the project will be completed by the end of September.

?EUR??,,????'??I?EUR??,,????'???ve had three kids who attended this high school, so I?EUR??,,????'???ve been a strong supporter of the community,?EUR??,,????'?? said Plant. ?EUR??,,????'??This garden will be a signpost for the community, which is ecologically appropriate and shows the value of the landscape. At the end of this project we hope to involve some of the community to plant some grasses.?EUR??,,????'??