Memorial Park Conservancy Tree Maintenance

Memorial Park Conservancy has a dedicated team of arboriculture experts who regularly monitor and maintain the thousands of trees that live in Memorial Park. This team constantly identifies and evaluates trees that can be hazardous to their surroundings. Factors like environmental impact, structural instability and disease can cause a tree to pose a significant danger to Park amenities and human safety. 
 
The Arboriculture team has a very stringent process for deciding if and when a tree needs to be removed. The team prioritizes mitigation efforts to save the tree, but if those efforts are unsuccessful, removal of a tree is the last option. The safety of Park-users is always our top priority, and the decision to remove a tree is taken very seriously. 

Leading causes of trees at Memorial Park declining and becoming hazardous include: 

• Prolonged extreme drought
• Extreme hard freezes
• Extreme high temperatures
• Native pine beetles preying on stressed trees
• Native fungal associations that become detrimental once stressed

The most common species impacted at the Park include: 

• Willow Oak
• Water Oak
• Cherry bark oak
• Southern Red Oak
• Post Oak
• Loblolly Pine

Trees in decline are prone to be hazardous for people or Park amenities. When a hazardous tree is recognized in Memorial Park, a decision for removal is conducted from a Risk Assessment by an International Society of Arboriculture Tree Risk Assessment Qualified Arborist.  

Risk is qualified and prioritized using an International Society of Arboriculture Tree Risk Assessment Matrix. 

Risk mitigation is preferred over removals. Risk Mitigation options include: 

• Weight reduction for a more balanced tree canopy
• Pruning of dead or diseased limbs
• Chemical treatments for fungus, insect, nutrient deficiencies 
• Soil condition improvements with nutrients or compost 

If risk mitigation options are not feasible or have been attempted without success, then a decision is made to remove the tree. That decision is based on the tree’s health and potential safety hazards to people and property. 

By identifying hazardous trees, conducting comprehensive risk assessments and implementing appropriate mitigation strategies, the Memorial Park Conservancy team can ensure the efficient removal of trees as necessary while maintaining a safe environment for Park users.