Arborist Report - SA.GOV.AU · Landscape Architect (B L Arch B App Sc Canberra) and Urban Planner...

Arborist Report

Department of Families and Communities Property

Magill Youth Training Centre Site Glen Stuart Rd

Woodforde

For the Land Management Corporation

Issue #2 23 November 2010

tas-1259-10

Arborist Report-Final Issue-DFC-LMC Property-Glen Stuart Rd Woodforde-tas-1259-November-2010 2 of 23

BRIEF The Land Management Corporation (LMC) seeks to release this Government owned property into public ownership.

The LMC seeks to have all known site elements and components identified and assessed to assist the sale process.

This is a complex site with multiple arrangements of trees, land use and topography across the approximately19.38 Ha property. Essentially the Magill Training Centre complex occupies the western half of the property and a creek extending down from the Adelaide Hills divides the property with the eastern half occupied by the Black Hill Pony Club for horse stabling and riding.

This report examines the health and species attributes of these trees to therefore convey a preliminary opinion to prospective purchasers as to whether

the subject trees offer important contributions to the property and to the local area

they are considered likely to require retention

they pose a potential constraint to site redevelopment or not.

Please be reminded that the Adelaide Hills Council is the final arbitrator of tree significance possibly regardless of opinions presented by the author of this report.

Alan Cameron, principal consulting arborist of Tree Assessment Services inspected the site, trees and locality on three occasions in August and September.

His qualifications as an ISA Certified Arborist (Dip Arboriculture AQF Level 5 Hortico), Landscape Architect (B L Arch B App Sc Canberra) and Urban Planner (PG Dip Planning Uni SA) enables him to provide qualified and transparent arboricultural advice with regards trees, site development, visual and landscape amenity, landscape design, heritage and urban planning matters. All matters addressed in this report have been undertaken to the best of my ability.

Should any issues arise which require further consideration, I will be happy to assist.

Yours faithfully

Alan Cameron

Director

Tree Assessment Services ISA Certified Arborist (Dip Arboriculture AQF Level 5 Hortico), Landscape Architect (B L Arch B App Sc Canberra) and Urban Planner (PG Dip Planning Uni SA)


METHODOLOGY The spreadsheet of the overall tree audit offers guidance as to whether trees should be considered as suitable for retention or removal within the context of the Development Act and their relative condition.

Findings are categorised into

R-I Regulated- Important Trees which exceed the 2000mm trunk circumference criteria and offer amenic importance. The Development Act 1999 contends that a Significant tree offers attributes of importance. These trees are high quality specimens to which application for removal would unlikely be attained. Retention and protection is recommended. The root radius provides preliminary guidance as to offsets for nearby proposed development.

R-U Regulated Unimportant Trees that exceed the 2000mm trunk circumference test but are either in poor health and condition or are dead. As the tree is considered not to offer attributes of importance, removal is therefore likely able to be argued. Note that Council may not agree to the removal of large dead Red Gum trees as these may be considered to offer important habitat. Pruning of dead trees to reduce risk exposure to future pedestrian or other use will probably be required.

U-I Unregulated Important These are trees with trunks less than 2000mm circumference not protected by the Development Act which are in good health and condition. These trees potentially offer future importance if retained.

U-U Unregulated Unimportant These are trees with trunks less than 2000mm circumference not protected by the Development Act. These trees are of poor quality and their removal is suggested.

Circumference Tree listings identified in red indicates the tree is currently Unregulated Important but will likely become Regulated Important and therefore could become protected by the Development Act in a few years.

Root radius of trees considered Important, either Regulated or Unregulated by the Development Act, have been nominated to assist the consideration of suitable development offsets. However, potential risks posed by large limb breakout from large trees should be further identified if accuracy is required to safely site engineered structures.


PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Surveyors have identified approximately 272 trees across and near to the subject site.

Of these, 65 trees are on Old Norton Summit Rd and are Council property.

Trees that have not been included in the audit include Saplings of less than about 800mm circumference Olive trees of all sizes including > 2000 mm circ Regulated. Olives are a declared pest

species by the Adelaide Hills Council. Extensive removal is occurring on neighbouring property to the east and on parts of the paddocks operated within the Pony Club lease. Hedgerows of Olives extend north from the MYTC compound and along various road boundaries. Stands of large mature Olive trees extend along the northern bank of the creek opposite Trees 240-270.

There are four principal areas of the site that are characterised by large trees.

1. The dam north-east of the MYTC is surrounded by very large Red Gums on moderately steep yet constrained ground. Problems are generated by the dam topography and presence of very large trees to future management as an urban area.

2. The creekline to the east of the MYTC has a variety of very large and large Red Gums on generally steep ground in moderate proximity to the creek channel and surrounds considered suitable for development as open space.

3. The MYTC car park has very large Red Gums on relatively flat ground considered suitable for development as open space

4. Three very large Red Gums to the eastern end of the creek which could have residential development located nearby.

The other feature of the overall site is the large volume of fill that has been benched across the creek valley upstream of MYTC and Areas 1-3, used for horse agistment and riding. It is not known where drainage has been installed beneath as the creek dams due to the benching.

A few isolated trees occur in this area which basically lends itself to more intensive development against which these trees may not be considered able to offer important amenity. Larger older remnant River Reds growing within or at the edges of the embankments have died due to impacts to roots and drainage alteration.

Further upstream, where fill has not occurred, larger River Red Gums occur again (Area 4).

Trees that occur across the western frontage of the MYTC site have all been planted and are in varying condition, generally of impaired quality, to which therefore their capacity to be considered suitable for retention is lower and removal could be envisaged. Trees in the Compound may have been planted and are in good condition, to which their isolation renders their amenic contributions as low or not significant to which Council agreement for removal may be likely.


LOCAL AREA

aerial 1DFC - MYTC Site

Glen Stuart Rd Woodforde

Base plan source LMC

Site Notes The main vegetation types on site include

Ornamental assorted plantings to western MYTC Centre frontage Isolated trees within MYTC security compound Large Gums to MYTC Car park Clumps at the Oval corners Large Red Gums around Dams and along Creek Sugar Gums to northern side Norton Summit Road Scattered trees to earthwork benches around stables Extensive-intensive weed infestations Olives, Box Thorn, Blackberries ,

Peppercorns etc along Creek Hedge rows of Olives to Horse paddocks and boundaries

MYTC FACILITY AND COMPOUND

NORTHERN SECTOR

OVAL

DAM CREEK AND CAR PARK SECTOR

DAM

BENCH

BENCH

BENCH

BENCH

BENCHEASTERN

CREEK SECTOR

CREEK


View to south of Sugar Gum Trees 1-6 on private land to the south of MYTC complex. All Sugar Gums have the capacity to drop large diameter limbs from height that can generate damage beyond the canopy extent to which clearances nominated should be observed and reviewed.

Spotted Gums Trees 12-15in foreground in an isolated clump, with externally orientated foliage. Each tree is imbalanced but are growing as a single specimen. All healthy but none are regulated or protected trees.

View to north along MYTC frontage. Isolated trees or varying sizes and shapes. Tree 21 which presents with dominant form and in excellent condition is the only tree of merit to the frontage to which efforts should be made to retain and protect.


View to south-east from Kintyre Rd across Rostrevor College’s oval. Row of trees 40-49 mainly ash trees, not regulated and considered unimportant.

View to east from multiple leveled embankment that spans creek. Dam (obscured) in middleground centre right with small native potentially important trees. Tree 176 in foreground.

View to south of Sugar Gum Trees approx 230-240 that align Old Norton Summit Road. Trees in road reserve and extend roots and canopy into subject property.


View to north-west from eastern side of creek with Red Gum Trees 97 and 98 in foreground.

View to north from embankment over creek at rear of MYTC with dead Red Gum Tree 112 to right, possibly valued for habitat, and dead Peppercorn Tree 114 to left foreground. Trees have died due top asphyxiation of roots by embankment fill.

View to north. Site boundary passes along path to immediate left of non-regulated but likely to become significant Red Gum Trees 93 and 94. Red Gum Tree 89 to centre right.


View somewhere around dam at rear of MYTC complex. Area is extremely overgrown with low level woody weeds making access, orientation and navigation difficult. Red Gums extremely large and important.

Red Gums poking up through woody Olive weed infestation, possibly an overgrown hedgerow.

View to north-west down Kintyre Ave. Olives such as these have not been individually identified or audited by this report as the species is regarded as a pest plant and therefore not considered important or subject to the Development Act.


MYTC Car park contains very large, important and significant Red Gums


View to east of young Red Gum Tree 146. View to south-east within MYTYC complex of Red Gum Tree 205

View to south-west within MYTYC complex of Sugar Gum Tree 206. View to south-east within MYTYC complex of Ash Tree 204


TREE AUDIT

plan 2Subject Property

and Audited Trees

DFC-LMC Property Glen Stuart Rd Woodforde

Base plan source Fyfe Surveys

Regulated Important Tree 5

Unregulated Important Tree 5

5 Regulated Unimportant Tree

Unregulated Unimportant Tree 5


AUDIT NOTES

Trees with trunk circumferences greater than 2000mm are REGULATED by the Development Act 1993.

Trees with lesser circumferences are UNREGULATED.

Trees which are REGULATED and considered to be in good health and structural condition, offering reasonable asset lifespan and amenity are designated as IMPORTANT. Note the Development Act 1999 contends that trees with trunks greater than 2000mmØ which offer attributes of importance are Significant.

Trees of lower quality, structurally impaired, offering limited asset life and amenic expectancy are designated UNIMPORTANT and therefore not significant.

Therefore trees of good quality which offer importance can be REGULATED or UNREGULATED.

REGULATED trees offering IMPORTANT attributes are highlighted in GREEN.

UNREGULATED trees offering IMPORTANT attributes are highlighted in BLUE.

REGULATED Trees offering UNIMPORTANT attributes are highlighted in PURPLE.

UNREGULATED trees offering UNIMPORTANT attributes are highlighted in ORANGE.

Estimates of age are just that and may be inaccurate due to a wide range of factors.

Vigour or health is nominated across a range of Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor and Dead values.

Tree structure is nominated across a range of Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor values

Root extent refers to the radius of secondary roots as measured from the centre of the trunk as per AS 4970-09 Protection of Trees on Development Sites. This measure provides a preliminary indication of the extent to which development could be offset.

Remaining life expectancy is a consideration of a specimen’s health, age, structural condition and species lifespan. Values of O (Zero time or Dead), Short term (0-5 yrs) , Short-Medium term(5-10 yrs), Medium term (10-25 yrs), Medium-Long term (25-50 yrs), Long term (50 yrs +).

Species codes to follow.


SPECIES CODE

Code Common name Botanic name CA Carob Ceratonia siliqua

CL ASH Claret Ash Fraxinus raywoodii

ASH Flowering Ash Fraxinus ornus

EI Indian Coral Erythrina indica

EM Grey Box Eucalyptus microcarpa

ET Coral Gum Eucalyptus torquata

EV Manna Gum Eucalyptus viminalis

GR Silky Oak Grevillea robusta

LSG Lemon Scented Gum Corymbia citriodora

OE Olea europaea Olive

PC Peppercorn Schinus molle

PG Peppermint Gum Eucalyptus odorata

PU Native Daphne Pittosporum undulatum

QB Qld Box Lophostamen conferta

RRG River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis

SABG South Australian Blue Gum Eucalyptus leucoxylon

SM Swamp Mallet Eucalyptus spathulata

SO She-Oak Casuarina or Allocasuarina sps

SP Spotted Gum Corymbia maculata

SUG Sugar Gum Eucalyptus cladocalyx

TAM Tamarix Tamarix aphylla

WM Willow Myrtle Agonis flexuosa


plan 3Glen Stuart Rd frontage and

MYTC complex audit




plan 4north-east oval




detail plan 5MYTC car park and central creek audit




detail plan 6 eastern sector creek and Norton Summit Rd audit

DFC-LMC Property Glen Stuart Rd Woodforde Base plan source Fyfe Surveys

Arborist Report - SA.GOV.AU · Landscape Architect (B L Arch B App Sc Canberra) and Urban Planner...

Documents

Transcript of Arborist Report - SA.GOV.AU · Landscape Architect (B L Arch B App Sc Canberra) and Urban Planner...