Clayton State University Campus Tree Care Plan

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Clayton State University

Campus Tree Care Plan

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STANDARD 1: Campus Tree Advisory Committee

The Clayton State University Tree Committee serves as an advisory committee to the

Department of Facilities’ Landscape Management office working to maintain, manage, improve, renew and protect the trees on the University’s campus and to share information with the campus community. The committee was established on February 3, 2012 and meets twice a year or on an as needed basis.

Committee Tasks:

 Educating the University community about the tree management plan and stewardship  Giving recommendations for replanting

 Advising on tree-related issues on campus

 Reviewing the University’s tree management plan  Helping create approved and experimental tree lists

Meeting Dates  February 29, 2012  July 18, 2012  November 12, 2012  February 28, 2013  March 25, 2013  April 12, 2013  October 30, 2013 (Planned Meeting)  December 16, 2013 (Planned Meeting) Committee Members

Member Name Title Group Email

Darren Thomas Chair, Director of Physical Plant Operations

Facilities Management (Plant Operations)

DarrenThomas@mail.clayton.edu Justin Brooks Co-Chair, Certified Arborist;

Assistant Director of Landscape Management Facilities Management (Landscape Management) JustinBrooks@mail.clayton.edu

Harun Biswas AVP of Facilities Management

Facilities Management HarunBiswas@mail.clayton.edu Jere Boudell Associate Professor –

Biology

Faculty JereBoudell@mail.clayton.edu

Dennis Brown Student Student Dbrown55@student.clayton.edu

Sam Dixon Executive & Artistic Director, Spivey Hall

Faculty SamDixon@mail.clayton.edu

Valerie Lancaster Executive Secretary to the President

Staff ValerieLancaster@mail.clayton.edu

John Shiffert Director, University Relations

Staff JohnShiffert@mail.clayton.edu

Stephanie Berens Manager, Reynold’s Nature Preserve

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STANDARD 2: Campus Tree Care Plan

1. PURPOSE

Clayton State University is dedicated to caring for the campus tree population by providing a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for the trees and the overall campus. The Landscape Management

department continuously works to maintain, manage, improve, renew and protect the trees on the

University’s campus. Through careful planning and proper maintenance, the trees of Clayton State University will enhance the University’s landscape,

provide a habitat for a diverse animal and insect population, and provide a pleasant environment for study for many generations to come. The University commits to:

 Maintain a diverse landscape with a wide range of tree species  Provide various habitats for enjoyment and study on campus  Maintain a park like setting for students

 Provide homes to tree dwelling insects and animals

 Continue to care for and maintain all trees so that future generations will be able to enjoy their benefits

2. RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITY/DEPARTMENT

The Clayton State University Landscape Management Department and the Campus Tree Advisory Committee is responsible for the Campus Tree Care Plan

3. ESTABLISHMENT OF CAMPUS TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Campus Tree Committee services as an advisory committee and shall be responsible for helping to update this plan in conjunction with the Facilities’ Landscape Management department.

4. CAMPUS TREE CARE POLICIES

Clayton State University has a large and diverse tree population that varies in both species and age. The health of this population is maintained by following regular policies and procedures.

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I. TREE

ASSESSMENT:

Trees are constantly monitored for safety, pests, disease, maintenance, other environmental factors and the overall health of each tree.

II. TREE REMOVALS:

Trees are removed when they pose a safety hazard, become structurally weak, become invasive or compete with desired species.

III. TREE SELECTION:

Each tree shall be selected for the proposed site by reviewing or increasing the needs of the site and the character sites of the tree and the optimum growing environment.

IV. SITE

PREPARATION:

Soils shall be checked for compaction. If soils are compacted, mechanical implements and amendments shall be used to improve soil structure.

V. TREE PLANTING Trees shall be planted in the fall and winter months (or in dormancy stage). Although the tops of trees may be dormant, the roots will continue to grow allowing for establishment. When planting an individual tree or shrub in native soil that has not been disturbed or amended, dig the planting hole at least two times wider than the root ball of the plant. The depth of the hole shall be no deeper than the size of the root ball. It is best to plant 1 to 2 inches above grade to allow for soil settling and mulching. Always backfill with native soil that was removed from the hole.

VI. MULCHING All newly planted trees shall receive 3 to 5 inches of mulch after initial planting, keeping the mulch 6 inches from the base of the trunk. The recommended mulch should be organic and aged mulch, and should be non-matting. Examples would include hardwood, cypress, and pine bark mini-nuggets. Avoid using pine straw as base mulch, because pine straw does not absorb as much moisture as hardwood mulch.

VII.PRUNING Trees shall be pruned for safety, proper form and visibility issues.

VIII. WATERING Trees shall receive at least 1” of water per week during the first growing season or until a healthy root system is established.

The following trees are prohibited for new plantings due to their invasiveness, weak structure and safety hazard issues.

Prohibited Species:

 Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)  Pines (Pinus spp.)

 Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa)  Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)

 Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Bradford’)  Black Locust (Robinia pseudocacia)

 Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)  Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)

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5. PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

In order to protect and preserve trees during construction, policies must be followed to protect their trunks and root systems from construction site injury.

 The root zone of all trees must be protected on all construction projects. A tree’s root zone is defined as 5 times the trunk diameter distance from the base of the trunk, or from the trunk to the tree drip line, whichever is greater. Ten feet beyond the drip line is preferable.

 All trees to remain on a project shall have protective fencing. A tree protection drawing detailing the protective fencing shall be submitted with the project plans for review. The drawing should include an accurate representation of the existing trees to remain, to be removed, and to be relocated, including species, trunk diameter and canopy diameter. Protective fencing should be placed at 10’ beyond the tree drip line wherever possible.  Construction materials, equipment and personal vehicles should not be stored or parked

in the root zone of any trees in order to avoid soil compaction.

 Overhanging tree canopies will be protected from construction damage.

 All trenching shall conform to the following guidelines: Roots larger than 2 inches in diameter should not be severed without approval. Boring under roots rather than cutting is preferred. Digging within a tree’s root zone should be avoided. If it is

necessary, hand digging should be used for any trenching within the tree’s root zone. All roots that must be cut should be cut cleanly.

 All planning, construction, and renovation projects on campus should at minimum preserve the existing tree canopy cover and species represented.

6. GOALS & TARGETS

Bartlett Tree Experts was retained to perform a tree inventory for Clayton State University. The inventory included:

 Identifying trees on the Clayton State University property and assigning a tag number to each tree.

 Identifying the trees’ condition, health, and vigor.

 Recommending hazard evaluations and removals of appropriate trees.

 Recommending pruning, soil management, and pest management treatments to promote tree safety, health, and longevity.

 Mapping the trees using Global Positioning Satellite Receiver (GPSr) hardware and Geographic Information System (GIS) software.

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Clayton State University has a Certified Arborist on staff to evaluate the tree inventory on campus. The goals are to plant more long-lived specimen trees that students, staff, faculty and visitors can enjoy for many generations to come. A regular pruning schedule is in place for safety, health, structure and appearance. Provide root collar excavations to suspect trees. Buried root collars can contribute to a number of tree health problems, including girdling roots, basal cankers, masking root and lower stem decay, and predisposing trees to various insect and disease pests. Improve soil structures for existing and newly planted trees. A list of

recommended tree species was created by the Committee to replace the aging and mature Pines on campus.

 Swamp White Oak - (Quercus michauxii)

 Bald Cypress - (Taxodium distichum)

 Dawn Redwood - (Metaseqouia glyptostroboides)

 Eastern Red Cedar - (Juniperus virginiana)

 Lacebark Elm - (Ulmus parviflora)

 Ginkgo - (Ginkgo biloba)

 Sawtooth Oak – (Quercus acutissima)

 Chestnut Oak - (Quercus prinus)

 Japanese Maple (species) - (Acer palmatum spp.)

 American Hornbeam - (Carpinus caroliniana)

 Paperbark Maple - (Acer griseum)

 Japanese Blue Oak - (Quercus glauca)

 Chinese Pistache - (Pistacia chinensis)

 Dogwood (species) - (Cornus spp.)

 Chinese Evergreen Oak - (Quercus myrsinifolia)

 Bur Oak - (Quercus macrocarpa)

 Honey Locust - (Gleditsia triacanthos)

 Harry Lauder's Walking Stick - (Corylus avellana 'Contorta')

 Southern Magnolia - (Magnolia grandiflora)

 American Beech - (Fagus grandifolia)

 Deodar Cedar - (Cedrus deodara)

 American Holly - (Ilex opaca)

 Ironwood - (Ostrya virginiana)

 Smoke tree - (Cotinus coggygria)

 Japanese Cryptomeria - (Cryptomeria japonica)

 Washington Hawthorn - (Crataegus phaenopyrum)

 Shagbark Hickory - (Carya ovata)

 Black Gum - (Nyssa sylvatica)

 Chinese Chestnut - (Castanea mollissima)

 Grancy Gray-beard - (Chionanthus virginicus)

 Japanese Zelkova - (Zelkova serrata)

 American Yellowwood - (Cladrastis kentukea)

 Japanese Stewartia - (Stewartia pseudocamellia)

 Fig - (Ficus carica)

 Weeping Redbud - (Cercis Canadensis ‘Covey’)

 Banana Shrub - (Michelia figo)

 Chaste-tree - (Vitex-Agnus-castus)

 Japanese Snowbell - (Styrax japonicus)

 Shumard Oak - (Quercus shumardii)

7. TREE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT

Any damage to trees created by a contractor or outside sources will be evaluated and the costs of the damage, replacement or maintenance will be evaluated by the university. The party responsible for the damage will then be billed by the University for the damages incurred.

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8. PROHIBITED PRACTICES

Planting, removing or pruning any trees without the approval from the Assistant Director of Landscape Management is prohibited. This is to prevent unnecessary damages to the existing tree population on campus. Signs from student organizations and departments shall not be nailed to trees and signs shall not be staked near newly planted trees. Improper pruning such as topping or terminal cuts are prohibited. Larger species of trees shall not be planted within 20 feet of a building to prevent roof damage and overcrowding.

9. DEFINITIONS OF TERMINOLOGY

Term Definition

Invasive Note native to and tending to spread widely in a habitat or environment. Invasive species often have few natural predators or other biological controls in their new environment. Although not always considered harmful to an environment, invasive species can become agricultural or ecological pests and can displace native species from their habitats.

Dormancy In a condition of biological rest or inactivity characterized by cessation of growth or development and the suspension of many metabolic processes.

Tree drip line A ring around the tree canopy on the ground level that receives most of the rainwater shed from the tree canopy. Feeder root locations go beyond the drip line to get rainwater shed from the tree canopy. Feeder root locations go beyond the drip line to get moisture and nutrients being created from organic matter in and on top of the soil.

Tree canopy A layer of multiple layers of branches and foliage at the top or crown of a forest’s trees.

Root collar excavations

A tree’s root collar is the area where the roots join the main stem or trunk. This area is typified by a flare leading to the major roots. The root collar is part of the tree’s trunk. Unlike roots, the trunk is not specialized to resist constant soil moisture. The movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide in and out of the phloem (inner bark) is inhibited by this water. Over a period of years the lack of gas exchange can kill phloem cells and interfere with the downward movement of food (photosynthate) to the roots. This can stunt root growth and lead to decline of the plant.

Cankers Localized, often sunken, necrotic lesion, with well-defined margins.

Topping Inappropriate pruning technique to reduce tree size usually cut at internodes.

Terminal cuts A stem cutting consisting of a portion of a stem or branch with a terminal bud.

10.COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

The Campus Tree Care Plan will be distributed on the Clayton State University Facilities

Management website. Copies will also be filed with the appropriate administrative offices and campus security, and shared with all campus facilities personnel. Links to the Campus Tree Care Plan are also shared electronically with campus officials.

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STANDARD 3: Dedicated Annual Expenditures for Campus Tree Care Program

Below are the expenditures for the Campus Tree Care Program at Clayton State University.

Expense Amount

Tree Planting and Initial Care

(Include cost of tree purchases, labor and equipment for planting, planting materials, staking, watering, mulching, competition control, etc.)

$ 18,477.42

Campus Tree Management

(For example: include pruning, public education, professional training,

association memberships, campus tree inventory, pest management, fertilization, tree removals (if needed), and all associated costs)

$ 27,705.04

Volunteer Time

(440 hours volunteer time X $22.00)

$ 9,680.00 Other Expenses

(Tree Inventory)

$ 16,000.00

TOTAL $ 71,862.46

Number of trees planted 53

Number of trees pruned 63 (Based on an estimate, because pruning is done on-going in house by Landscape staff on an as-needed basis.)

Number of trees removed 48 (23 trees were removed in house by Landscape staff)

Number of volunteer hours 440

Full-time student population (headcount)

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STANDARD 4: Arbor Day Observance

Clayton State and the Clayton State Tree Committee hosted the University’s first Arbor Day Observance on Friday, April 26. The Arbor Day Ceremony and tree planting started on the University Quad, with Clayton State Vice President for Business and Operations Corlis Cummings providing the keynote address. Proving conclusively that CFO’s are also philosophical, Cummings quoted Frank Lloyd Wright, “the best friend of man on Earth is the tree.” Cummings also noted that Clayton State’s recycling program has saved 8000 trees. In addition half dozen Shumard Oaks were planted on campus on April 26.

Following Cummings’ keynote, Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Jere Boudell spoke on “Ecology and Plants of the Piedmont Trail,” and noting that, “we live in a tree community.” As part of the Arbor Day celebration, Boudell officially inaugurated the campus’ Plants of the Piedmont Trail, located just across

Swan Lake, on the pathway between the lake and Spivey Hall. Boudell pointed out that the trail not only provides identification signs for the trees on the trail, but there is even an app associated with the signs to further identify the trees.

Following the speech-making, Boudell led tours through the “Plants of the Piedmont” Trail. Boudell and Tree Committee Chair Justin Brooks added that, although the campus already has many species of oak, including red, white, water and willow oaks, the Georgia native Shumard Oaks planted at various sites on the Quad and by the lake were the first of their type on campus.

Doing the planting were local homeschooled children, who attended the event at the invitation of Spivey Hall Education Manager Catherine Giel.

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STANDARD 5: Service Learning Project

W. H. Reynolds Memorial is a 146 acre nature preserve located in the heart of Clayton County in Morrow, GA. The land, preserved in its native state, is a perfect example of rolling hills in the Piedmont region of Georgia. With over 3 miles of hiking trails a visitor can explore the highest ridges in the county in a mixed oak-hickory-pine forest down to the wetlands and ponds fed by natural springs. One can also take the opportunity to step back in time and admire old farm equipment, spring houses, and a barn dating back to 1867.

Reynolds Nature Preserve’s annual Wild Azalea Festival was held on Saturday, April 6 at the Reynolds Nature Preserve. Guided hikes, live animal shows, nature center exhibits, face painting, native azalea showcases, hands on workshops, informational booths from local environmental organizations were just a few activities that occurred at the festival. Clayton State faculty and students participated in service learning projects at the festival. Dr. Barbara Musolf and Tri Beta members provided educational material about invasive plants. Dr.

Christopher Kodani and students presented an adopt-a-stream protocol. Dr. Jere Boudell gave a presentation on stream restoration and her SEEDS students discussed ecology and ecological issues.

Clayton State University Campus Tree Care Plan