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Visual Tree Assessment, Sonic Tomograph, RADAR and Written Report

Prepared for:
Location:

Table of Contents
1) Executive Summary
2) Brief & inspection methodology
3) Date of inspection
4) Arborist conducting inspection
5) Site address of tree
6) Overview photograph/map of tree location
7) Description of tree species and tree dimension information
8) Observations of tree condition
9) Risk assessment matrix of the tree
10)
Use life expectancy
11)
Discussion
12)
Recommendations and remedial works
13)
Limitation of liability
Appendix 1 sonic tomograph test results and report
Appendix 2 radar scan results and report
Appendix 3 tree plan and numbers
Appendix 4 tree roots
Appendix 5 tree assessment matrix

1) Executive Summary
ENSPEC was engaged by Sunshine Coast Regional Council to conduct an in-depth
investigation of the trees located in Bulcock Street, Caloundra.
The investigation was to include a Visual Tree Assessment, Sonic Tomograph testing
of the trees lower trunks to establish their structural integrity, and RADAR scanning
of the trees root systems to ascertain the root locations along the pedestrian area
next to the adjacent shops.
The investigation found that the design and structural integrity of planter boxes is
going to be an ongoing engineering issue due to the species selected from planting
(ficus benjamina) and their rooting habits. As these trees mature the risk of total
tree failures will increase due to the structural strength of the planter box design; in
time the box design will structurally fail and the boxes will fall apart. There is
evidence that the boxes are already in the early stages of this structural failure, with
substantial cracks now occurring in most planter boxes.
The RADAR assessments (Appendix 2) show that most of the Ficus benjamina trees
will have a future conflict with their root systems and the foundations of the
adjacent shops; this excludes the 3 Ficus benjamina trees which are planted in the
roundabouts. This conflict will increase in the years to come and the risk of damage
to the foundations of the adjoining shops will increase.
Unfortunately the current streetscapes design does not allow for any proactive
action to be taken to reconfigure the rooting area of the trees located in the planter
boxes in Bulcock Street. Further to this, the ongoing conflict of the tree roots and
adjoining buildings will bedifficult to mitigate, even with the undertaking of
preventative measures such as the installation of root barrier. Root barrier would
provide a medium term resolution (10-15 years) but may not be the best long-term
solution, considering the costs and inconvenience associated with the installation of
this product. The funding for this interim measure could better used to gain a better
long-term resolution for Bulcock Street, both aesthetically and by increasing the
vehicle parking opportunities.
If Council is to adopt a new streetscape plan consideration should be given to using
a structural cell system such as Silca Cell by Deeproot. This would allow the same
species of tree to be replanted with sufficient rooting area, as well as the
opportunity to increase car parking spaces within Bulcock Street.
Further information can be found throughout this report and in Appendix 1 and 2 in
particular.
2) Brief and inspection methodology
ENSPEC was engaged by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council to provide the
following services in regard to 21 Ficus Benjamina, 7 Palm Trees and 1 Banksia
integrifolia:
Tree audit and Assessment

Root mapping with RADAR

Tree hazard abd risk assessment
Advice on best management practice to manage the trees into the future.
3) Date of inspection
The inspection and assessments were conducted over 4 days, 17 th, 18th, 19th and
20th August 2009. Most of the inspection work, in particular the RADAR and Sonic
Tomograph work, was completed between 8pm and 4am during the night. This was
to ensure no disruption occurred to the public or business in Bulcock Street.
4) Abrorist conductin inspection
Name of arborist
Qualifications
Contat phone number
Email address
Website address
5) Site address of tree
The site address is known as Bulcock Street, Caloundra, between the north and
south streets of Otranto Avenue and Canberra Terrace.
6) Overview Photograph/ Map of tree location
Figure one is a general overview of the site location; Appendix 3 is more details and
has the tree numbers allocated to each tree displayed and should be used as the
working plant
Aerial photo with site boundary

maphea
d

7) Description of tree species and tree dimension information

The table below is showing the basic dimensions of each tree assessed in this
project. The measurements are in approximate meters, excluding DBH which is in
approximate millimeters.
Tree
number

Genus
species

DBH 1.5
mm

Height

8) Observations of tree condition

a. Root plate statement

Canopy
North

Canopy
East

Canopy
South

Canopy
West

The Ficus benjamina root plates of three trees (21,22 and 23) are located
in the road roundabouts in Bulcock Street.