Stop Work Order Over Tree Roots: Full Arborist Assessment and Preservation Plan

Описание: This is the full walkthrough of a site where trenching for a retaining wall resulted in a stop work order due to concerns about tree root damage.
When roots are cut within the Critical Root Zone, it can affect the stability, health, and long-term viability of the tree, even if the canopy still appears normal. Trees often don't show symptoms of the damage that occurred for years so most don't associate the damage with the construction damage.
In this video, I am explain the situation as I drive there and then I perform a walkthrough of the site and explain how trees are evaluated using standard arboricultural methods, including things like this:
Species identification
Location, Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) measurements, Council of Tree and Landscape Association (CTLA) condition ratings (structure, health, and form), Root damage assessment, Tree preservation planning
The goal of these evaluations and tree inventories usually include species identification and creating a written plan that recommends which trees can be preserved and which may present long-term risk due to structural root loss.
Construction and trees generally don't mix, but if tons of advanced planning and good evaluation happen before construction begins the outcomes are generally much better. It can be very hard, if not impossible, to fix the damage later.
O’Neil’s Tree Service
Board Certified Master Arborist
Serving Tampa Bay and surrounding areas