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I. Thepurposesofcampustreecareplanareto: Facilitatetheachievementof55%treecanopyoncampusasrecommendedbythe2006Campus LandscapeMasterPlan. Facilitatetheachievementof22%woodlandscoverageoncampusasrecommendedbythe2006 CampusLandscapeMasterPlan. Protectandmaintainthecampusurbanforestbymanagingtheimpactofdevelopmentand constructionsoncampustrees. Provideprotectionandtomakesurethatremovalofalltreesoncampusareconductedwithproper considerationsandadequatereplacementprogram,accordingtoourapproved2006Campus LandscapeMasterPlan. II. TheresponsibilityoftheCampusTreeCarePlanrestswithGeorgiaTechFacilitiesDepartment. III. TheCampusTreeAdvisoryCommitteeiscomposedof: HyacinthIde,FacilitiesLandscapeManager AnneBoykinSmith,MasterPlanner,CapitalPlanning&SpaceManagement JerryYoung,LandscapeProjectManager,FacilitiesDesign&Construction LisaJackson,InformationAnalysisIII,CenterforGIS,SchoolofArchitecture ByronAmos,VineCityNeighborhood Dr.GeraldPullman,Professor,SchoolofBiology GeorgeRoberts,ConstructionForeperson,LandscapeServices MichaelWalsh,HorticulturistII,CertifiedArborist,LandscapeServices BrettTesta,HorticulturistI,CertifiedArborist,LandscapeServices DonnaChronic,HorticulturistII,LandscapeServices EdLanz,ProjectSuperintendent,GeorgiaCertifiedLandscapeProfessional,HousingDepartment PaulThurner,HomeParkNeighborhood MarciaKinstler,DirectorofSustainability,GeorgiaTech BrentBeamon,ArboristfromtheCityofAtlanta RitchieBrown,SeniorFacilitiesManager,Parking&Transportation,GeorgiaTech DrewGetty,KristieChampion,DeannaMurphy,JasonVargo,RahnAustin,JosephStaubes,YiLinPei, Studentrepresentatives(duringtheacademicyearAugust2008June2009) Roles of Representatives Thecommitteememberswillaccepttoserveforaperiodofonecalendaryearwitharenewaloption.Members shallappointofficialswhowillconductthedaytodaybusinessofthecommittee.Committeemembersare expectedtoactivelyparticipateandcontributeinpolicy/guidelineissuesaswellasresearch/information gatheringthatwouldaidinthecampustreecareplan.
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Fertilizing Newlyplantedtreesshouldnotreceivefertilizationduringthefirstgrowingseasonexceptinasituationwhere asoiltestrecommendsitsuse.Aslowreleasetypeoffertilizershouldbeusedaroundthetreebasin.Treesin poorconditionshouldreceivedeeprootfertilizationof53510plusmicronutrients,withrepeatapplicationif necessary.Also,whennecessary,weshalluse102010forevergreentreesand251010forgeneralapplication. Routinetreefertilizationisnotrecommended;however,campustreesreceiveadequatenutrientsfromturf, shrubsandgroundcoverroutineapplicationoffertilizers. Staking Stakingoftreesatplantingisnotrequirediftherootballisstable.Ifstakingmustbedone,itwillbedonein accordancewithANSImostrecentedition. Pruning Afterplanting,onlybrokenordamagedbranchesshouldbepruned.Treewrappingisgenerallynot recommended. Landscaping LandscapingonGeorgiaTechcampusmustadheretothefiveplantcommunitiesindicatedinthe2006 LandscapeMasterPlan.TheyareWoodland,Parkland,Meadowland,OrnamentalandLawn.Alllandscaping, newandoldshallusethelistofacceptableplantsintheCampusLandscapeMasterPlan.Thebestplant materialsshouldbechosenbasedonthesiteconditions,notbasedsolelyonthemeritofitsbeingnative.The objectivesaretoincreasecampustreecanopytoaminimumof55%andcampuscoveragebyWoodlandsto 22%.
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Hazard and Emergency Tree Removal From20042008,GeorgiaTechLandscapeServicesandnewconstructionhasremovedayearlyaverageof111 trees.Duringthesameperiod,428treeswerealsoplantedannually.Whenatreeremovalrequestismade,a certifiedarboristevaluatesthetreeinquestionandmakesthedeterminationforremovalornotbased,onthe result.Ifthetreeisconsideredahazardoustree,itisthenscheduledforremoval.Allhazardoustreeshavetwo thingsincommon,asignificantdefectandapotentialtargetforfallingonabuilding,carorpedestrian.Most treeremovalsaredonebystafforcontractor.Verylargetreesneedingacranearecontractedout. Stump Grinding Aftertreesareremovedthestumpsarethenscheduledforgrinding,providedthereisadequateaccesstothe site.Whenthestumpisgroundout,thegrindingsarerakedandleftslightlymoundedtoallowfordecayand settlingtooccur. Managing for Catastrophic Events Intheeventofsevereweatherconditionssuchastornadoesorhurricanes,fallingtreeswillberemovedby LandscapeServicesstafforanoutsidetreeremovalcompany.Roadsandstreetsshallbeclearedfirst,then accesstocriticalbuildings,administration,buildingswithcriticallabs,library,studentcenter,etc.inthatorder. Intheadvanceofsevereweatherconditions,allnecessaryequipmentshallbecheckedforreadinessandsafety bystaff. Protection and Preservation Policies and Procedures Treeprotectionzonesshallbeestablishedandmaintainedforalltreestobepreservedinaconstructionsite. Constructasimplebarrierforeachtreeorgroupingtoprotectthetrunkandrootsystems.Thisreducesdamage fromheavyequipmentandtrucks.Wood,plasticorchainlink4fencingwouldbesuitable.Installthebarrier fenceforeveryinchdiameterofthattreesdiameterbreastheight(DBH),providedthatinnocaseshallthe protectionzonebelessthanaradiusof2.5feet.Norootrakingshallbeallowedwithinanytreeprotectionzone atanytimeduringclearing,gradingorconstructionofaproject.Noequipmentorvehicleshallbeparkedor constructionmaterialstored,orsubstancespouredordisposedoforplacedwithinanytreeprotectionzoneat anytimeduringclearingorconstructionofaproject.Totheextentpossible,allsiteworkshallbeplannedand conductedinamannerthatwillminimizedamagetoprotectedtreesfromenvironmentalchangessuchas alteredsitedrainageoranyotherlanddisturbancewithinorimmediatelyadjacenttothecriticalrootzoneof thetree. New Building or Facilities Construction DevelopmentactivitiesshallbeplannedtotheextentpossibleinordertopreserveandprotecttreesonGeorgia TechCampus.AnytreeonGeorgiaTechcampusthatmustberemovedtoaccommodatedevelopment,damage duringstormevents,diseaseandwater/sewerrepairsmustbeshownonthesiteplanandamethodof compensationshallapplyasprescribedbythe2006CampusLandscapeMasterPlan,onpage65. a) A1diametertreeshallbecompensatedwithanequivalentmonetaryvalue. b) A1diametertreeshallcostnolessthan$175.00(2008cost) c) Thesumtotalofthediameterofreplacementtrees(inches)shallbemultipliedbythatyearsactualcost ofthetreemarketvalue.
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Design Requirements Designofanewdevelopmentorreconstructionshallincludeagreenspaceplanintheproposal.Suchplans shallincludeatreeprotection,treeestablishmentandlandscapeplan.Suchplanshallconformtothelandscape standardsasprescribedintheCampusLandscapeMasterPlan. Goals and Targets Developanintegrated,ecologicallybasedlandscapeandopenspacesystemthatwillhelpGeorgiaTechachieve itsgoalofenvironmentalsustainabilityby1)increasingcampustreecanopytoaminimumof55%,2)increase campuscoveragebyWoodlandsto22%and3)completionofaCampusTreeInventory.In2004,thecampus treeinventoryasindicatedinthe2006CampusLandscapeMasterPlanwas5000treesandthetreecanopy coveragewas1518%.In2008,thereareabout6,700treesonGeorgiaTechcampusprovidingapproximately 33.8%oftreecanopy.AGISTreeInventoryisinprogresstoupdatetheCampusTreeInventory. Tree Damage Assessment AlldamagedtreesonGeorgiaTechcampusshallbeassessedbyaCertifiedArboristsusingtheexistingtree evaluationform.Resultsfromtheevaluationdetermineswhetherthetreeshouldberemoved,prunedor receivetreatmentsuchasfertilization,andinsect/diseasecontrol,seeappendixB.Removedtreesareupdated onthetreeinventorylist.Wheneveritisdeterminedthatviolationofthisprocedurehasoccurred,theFacilities representativeordesigneeshallimmediatelyissuewrittenandoralnoticetothepersonorcompanyor departmentinviolation,identifyingthenatureandlocationoftheviolationandspecifyingthatremedialaction isnecessarytobringtheviolationintocompliance.Thepersonorcompanyordepartmentinviolationshall immediately,conditionspermitting,commenceremedialactionandshallhaveseven(7)workingdaysafterthe receiptofthenotice,orsuchlongertimesasmaybespecifiedinthenotice,tocompletetheremedialactions requiredtobringtheactivityintocompliancewiththispolicy, Prohibited Practices UndernoconditionshallatreebeplantedonGeorgiaTechcampusfordedicationwithoutpreapprovalfrom theofficeoftheExecutiveVicePresidentforAdministration&FinancethroughtheofficeofCapitalPlanning& SpaceManagement.
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Definitions CaliperThediameterorthicknessofthemainstemofayoungtreeorsaplingasmeasuredatsix(6)inchesabove groundlevel.Thismeasurementisusedfornurserygrowntreeshavingadiameteroffourinchesorless. CanopytreesAtreethatwillgrowtoamatureheightofatleast40feetwithaspreadofatleast30feet. ClearingTheremovaloftreesorothervegetationoftwoinchesDBHorgreater. CriticalRootZoneTheminimumareasurroundingatreethatisconsideredessentialtosupporttheviabilityofthe treeandisequaltoaradiusofonefootperinchoftrunkdiameter(DBH). DevelopmentTheact,processorstateoferectingbuildingsorstructures,ormakingimprovementstoaparcelor tractofland. Diameter,breastheight(DBH)Thediameterorwidthofthemainstemofatreeasmeasured4.5feetabovethe naturalgradeatitsbase.Wheneverabranch,limb,defectorabnormalswellingofthetrunkoccursatthisheight,the DBHshallbemeasuredatthenearestpointaboveorbelow4.5feetatwhichanormaldiameteroccurs. GreenspaceAnyarearetainedaspermeableunpavedgroundanddedicatedonthesiteplantosupporting vegetation. GreenspaceplanAmapand/orsupportingdocumentationwhichdescribesforparticularsitewherevegetationis toberetainedorplantedincompliancewiththeseregulations.Thegreenspaceplanshallincludeatreeestablishment plan,oratreeprotectionplan,andalandscapeplan. ImpervioussurfaceAsolidbaseunderlyingacontainerthatisnonporous,unabletoabsorbhazardousmaterial, freeorcracksorgapsandissufficienttocontainleaks,spillsandaccumulatedprecipitationuntilcollectedmaterialis detectedandremoved. LandscapeplanAmapandsupportingdocumentationwhichdescribesforaparticularsitewherevegetation,isto beretainedorprovidedincompliancewiththerequirementsofthispolicy.Thelandscapeplanshallincludeany requiredbufferelements. NativetreeAnytreespecieswhichoccursnaturallyandisindigenouswithintheregion. TreeestablishmentplanAmapandsupportingdocumentationwhichdescribes,foraparticularsitewhereexisting treesaretobeplantedincompliancewiththerequirementsoftheseregulations,thetypesoftreesandtheir correspondingtreesforreforestations. TreeprotectionplanAmapandsupportingdocumentationwhichdescribesforaparticularsitewhereexisting treesaretoberetainedincompliancewiththerequirementsoftheregulations,thetypesoftreesandtheir correspondingtreeforreforestations. TreeprotectionzoneTheareasurroundingapreservedorplantedtreethatisessentialtothetreeshealthand survival,andisprotectedwithintheguidelinesoftheseregulations. Communication Strategy AftertheadoptionoftheCampusTreeCarePlanandPoliciesbytheAdvisoryCommitteeandGeorgiaTech Administrationapproval,anarticleonGeorgiaTechsparticipationintheTreeCampusUSAshallbeplacedin thestudentsnewspaperTheTechniqueandthestaffnewspaperTheWhistle.Also,theadoptionsshallbe senttotheGeorgiaTechcommunityviatheelectronicsemaildistributionsystemandplacedontheGeorgia TechFacilitiesWebsite.Additionally,apressreleaseshallbemadetothelocalmediathroughtheofficeof InstituteCommunication&PublicAffairs.
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Tech Beautification Day TheGeorgiaTechBeautificationDayandEarthDayheldannuallyinApril,accountforover500students, faculty&staffvolunteers.At3hourspervolunteersx$18equals$27,000.00ofvolunteerlaborperyear.They participateinplantingtrees,shrubs,groundcover,flowers,layingsod,spreadingpinestrawandwoodchips, pullingweeds,pickinguptrash,etc.ontheGeorgiaTechcampus.SomeHandsOnAtlantamembersalso participatewiththestudents,facultyandstaff. Otherassociatedcostsofthecampustreemanagementare: DevelopmentofGeorgiaTechCampusLandscapeMasterPlanin2006 ThreestaffmembersareCertifiedArboristsoftheInternationalSocietyofArboriculturewithassorted feesof$2,500.00 Developmentof5000campustreeinventoryin2004at$35,000.00
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Summary SummaryofthedollarvaluededicatedtothetreeprogrambyGeorgiaTechare: Laborstaff/yr Laborcontract/yr Laborvolunteer/yr Treepurchase/yr Materials/yr Equipmentinvestment Equipmentmaintenance/yr Treeinventorycost Staffassociations&trainingcost TOTAL $138,518.39 $18,590.00 $27,000.00 $19,000.00 $7,500.00 $195,481.69 $1,722.69 $35,000.00 $2,500.00 $445,312.77
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