Hunterdon County, NJ High Risk Tree Management Plan May2019

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Cover Photo: View west along Hunterdon County Route 512 (Fairmount Road) just west of the Lamington River in Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction.......................................................................................................................................... 1 Summary of Tree Inventory Data ......................................................................................................... 4 Tree Structure...................................................................................................................................... 4 Table 1. Trees by County Route ................................................................................................... 4 Table 2. Trees by County Quadrant .............................................................................................. 5 Table 3. Tree Status ..................................................................................................................... 5 Table 4. Species Diversity ............................................................................................................ 6 Table 5. Genera Diversity ............................................................................................................. 6 Table 6. Tree Diameter Distribution (all trees) .............................................................................. 7 Table 7. Ash & Oak Tree Diameter Distribution ............................................................................ 7 Table 8. Tree Condition (all trees) ................................................................................................ 8 Table 9. Ash & Oak Tree Condition .............................................................................................. 8 Table 10. Observations................................................................................................................. 9 Tree Maintenance Needs .................................................................................................................. 10 Table 11. Recommended Action ................................................................................................. 10 Table 12. Risk Removal Summary.............................................................................................. 11 Table 13. High-Priority Prune Summary ..................................................................................... 11 Table 14. Recommended Removal Summary ............................................................................ 12 High-Risk Tree Summaries ................................................................................................................ 13 Table 15. Summary of Risk Management Needs by County Route Number ............................... 14 Table 16. County Route Number Ordered by Highest % Risk Removal ...................................... 15 Table 17. County Route Number Ordered by Highest Count of Risk Management ..................... 16 Table 18. Summary of Ash and Oak Counts by Ordered County Route Number ........................ 17 Table 19. County Route Number Ordered by Count of Ash & Count of Oak Trees ..................... 18 Table 20. County Route Number Ordered by Total Count of Ash & Oak Trees ........................... 19 Table 21. Tree Risk Management Recommendations by County Quadrant ................................ 21 Tree Risk Management Recommendations ....................................................................................... 23 High-Risk Removals .................................................................................................................... 23 High-Priority Pruning ................................................................................................................... 23 County Quadrant Maintenance.................................................................................................... 23 Recommended Removals (Low-Risk) ......................................................................................... 23 Monitoring of Ash & Oak Trees ................................................................................................... 24 Clearance Pruning ...................................................................................................................... 24 Routine Pruning .......................................................................................................................... 24 Continued Tree Monitoring .......................................................................................................... 24 Storm Response ......................................................................................................................... 24 Funding & Support ...................................................................................................................... 24 Estimated High-Risk Maintenance Costs .................................................................................... 25 Table 22. Estimated Costs for Tree Risk Management based on 2019 Inventory ........................ 25 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 25 Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ HIGH-RISK TREE MANAGEMENT PLAN Introduction Risk management is a well-established concept in the management of public spaces. Acceptable levels of risk have been recognized or defined for most basic infrastructure elements such as sidewalks, curbs, streets, playgrounds, and utilities. In many communities, these elements are assessed and managed according to acceptable levels of risk that are specified within written policies or enacted through management practices. Although not all pot-holes can be immediately filled in, not all heaving sidewalks immediately repaired, not all burned-out street light bulbs immediately replaced, a successful risk management program provides a community with a systematic approach to implement corrective actions within a reasonable time frame.

The rights-of-way (ROW) along roadways maintained by Hunterdon County, NJ consist of both the gray infrastructure (buildings, streets, utilities) and the green infrastructure; “the urban and community forest”. Although gray infrastructure has long been assessed and monitored for acceptable levels of risks, green infrastructure has for the most part not received the same subjective evaluations. The concept of considering or evaluating risks in the context of location and condition is less applied with the green infrastructure. Trees are labeled either as “high-risk/hazardous” or not.

Trees growing within the public ROW along roadways comprise the urban and community forest and are an integral part of the county and individual community’s infrastructure. These trees provide the benefits of shading to reduce pavement wear, provide visual and sound buffers, reduce stormwater by intercepting precipitation, stabilize soils, provide wildlife habitat, and conserve energy use. Evaluating, monitoring, and mitigating tree risk is paramount to the public’s wellbeing and to preserve and enhance the benefits of trees shared by the communities.

Project Overview To evaluate the potential risks along roadways managed by the County, consultants with International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborists and Tree Risk Assessment and Qualification staff were hired to inventory trees from January 2019 to April 2019. The Certified Arborists used PlanIT Geo’s Tree Plotter inventory software to map the location and attributes of all high-risk trees, oaks (Quercus), and ash trees (Fraxinus) greater than or equal to six (6) inches in diameter at breast height (DBH, measured 4.5’ above grade) within the County-maintained rights-of-way (ROW). Based on this methodology, a total of 6,638 trees were inventoried and the data was used to develop this Plan.

To determine the ROW distance and trees to include in the inventory, the consultants developed a GIS layer by creating a 40-foot buffer on both sides of each County roadway centerline. This layer, along with aerial imagery, allowed the Certified Arborists to determine “in” trees to be inventoried. Trees outside of the buffer but impacting the ROW (e.g. low, overhanging branches) were included.

A complete and comprehensive inventory of all trees within the ROW is not practical, therefore, it was determined by the County that all high-risk trees be inventoried. In addition, all ash and oak trees were inventoried due to existing and potential risks to pests and diseases (emerald ash borer and bacterial leaf scorch, respectively) which cause tree mortality and potential public, utility, and infrastructure risk.

The Certified Arborists and TRAQ-qualified staff utilized their adept knowledge of tree identification, tree physiological responses, and risk evaluation criteria to discern “high-risk” trees to be removed and other recommended actions. Trees observed within the ROW with a potential risk, discerned by the Certified Arborists, were further evaluated based on the failure mode’s (i.e., branch, whole tree, codominant stem) likelihood of failure, likelihood of impacting a target, and consequence of failure. The specified time period for the risk assessment is one year. Risk assessments were based on the ISA Level 2 Qualitative Risk Assessment methodology and the Best Management Practices: Tree Risk Assessment publication by the International Society of Arboriculture (2011).

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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The following provides an overview of the tree locations and a summary of the information gathered from attributes collected during the inventory.

Tree Inventory Points

The tree inventory data is available at the County and at https://pg-cloud.com/HunterdonCounty

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Tree Inventory Fields & Values

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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SUMMARY OF TREE INVENTORY DATA To inform risk tree mitigation and general tree maintenance, the following provides summaries of the tree inventory data collected from January 2019 to April 2019.

Tree Structure Table 1. Trees by County Route County Route #

Tree Count

County Route #

Tree Count

512

195

617

193

513

380

618

1

514

96

619

293

517

226

620

42

518

88

621

2

519

547

623

18

523

494

625

268

579

819

626

8

600

27

627

146

601

158

628

246

602

169

629

358

604

91

631

29

605

157

633

4

607

71

635

152

609

24

637

4

610

1

639

209

611

1

641

13

612

48

643

143

613

28

645

131

614

261

647

3

615

88

650

37

616

12

651

357

TOTAL TREES: 6,638

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Figure 1. County Divided into Quadrants To provide inventory summaries that can be applied to the current maintenance procedures, the County was separated into four quadrants (NE, NW, SE, SW) as seen on the right in Figure 1. The County can use this information to identify dense areas of tree risk and maintenance needs by quadrant and further refine this information to identify the roadways with the greatest need.

Summaries of the tree risk and general maintenance needs for each quadrant and County roadway are provided on pages 21-22.

Table 2. Trees by County Quadrant Grid

Count

% Whole

NE

1,599

24%

NW

2,293

35%

SE

1,067

16%

SW

1,679

25%

TOTAL

6,638

100%

Figure 2. Trees by County Quadrant

SW, 25%

SE, 16%

Table 3. Tree Status

NW, 35%

Figure 3. Tree Status

Status

Count

% Whole

Alive

6,475

98%

Dead

163

2%

6,638

100%

TOTAL

NE, 24%

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

Dead, 2%

Alive, 98%

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Table 4. Species Diversity

Figure 4. Species Diversity

Most Common Trees (top 10) Common Name

Count

% Whole

White ash

3,107

47%

Northern red oak

712

11%

Pin oak

712

11%

Black oak

598

9%

White oak

538

8%

Green ash

465

7%

Scarlet oak

159

2%

Chestnut oak

156

2%

Tulip tree

22

0.3%

Black walnut

19

0.3%

6,488

98%

Other Species

150

2%

TOTAL TREES

6,638

100%

SubTotal (top 10)

Black walnut, Tulip tree, 0.3% Other 0.3% Chestnut Species, 2% oak, 2% Scarlet oak, 2%

Green ash, 7% White oak, 8% White ash, 47% Black oak, 9%

Pin oak, 11% Northern red oak, 11%

Data notes: 41 unique species identified

Table 5. Genera Diversity Most Common Genera (top 5) Genus Count % Whole Fraxinus

3,572

54%

Quercus

2,892

44%

Acer

41

1%

Liriodendron

22

0.3%

Pinus

21

0.3%

6,548

99%

90

1.4%

6,638

100%

Figure 5. Genera Diversity Acer, 1%

Liriodendron, Pinus, 0.3% 0.3%

Quercus, 44% Fraxinus, 54%

SubTotal Other TOTAL TREES

Data notes: 21 unique genera identified

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Table 6. Tree Diameter Distribution (all trees) DBH Range Count

% Whole

6-12in

0.4%

24

Figure 6. Tree Diameter Distribution 3500

46% 3000

12-18in

3,068

46% 2500

18-24in

1,689

25% 2000

24-30in

1,106

17%

>30in

751

11%

1000

TOTAL

6,638

100%

500

25%

1500 17% 11%

0.4%

Data notes: Average DBH = 20.2�

0 6-12in

12-18in

18-24in

24-30in

>30in

Table 7. Ash & Oak Tree Diameter Distribution DBH Range

Figure 7. Diameter Distribution of Ash (Fraxinus) and Oak (Quercus) Trees

Ash Count Oak Count

>30in

247

479

2500

24-30in

433

642

2000

18-24in

858

796

1500

12-18in

2,025

973

1000

2,025

6-12in

9

2

500

858796 479

973

642 433

247 9

TOTAL % Ash & Oak

3,572

2,892

2

0 >30in

97%

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

24-30in

18-24in

Ash

12-18in

6-12in

Oak

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Table 8. Tree Condition (all trees) Condition

Count

Figure 8. Tree Condition (all trees) Dead, 2%

Excellent

37

Good

976

Fair

4,045

Poor

1,417

Dead

163

Excellent, 1%

Good, 15% Poor, 21%

Fair, 61% TOTAL

6,638

Table 9. Ash & Oak Tree Condition Condition

Ash Count

% Ash

Oak Count

% Oak

0

0%

37

1%

143

4%

832

29%

Fair

2,266

63%

1,747

60%

Poor

1,094

31%

245

8%

Dead

69

2%

31

1%

3,572

100%

2,892

100%

Excellent Good

TOTAL

Figure 9. Ash (Fraxinus) & Oak (Quercus) Condition Counts 2,266

2500 2000

1,747

1500

1,094 832

1000 500 0

37

245

143

69

31

0 Excellent

Good

Fair

Ash

Poor

Dead

Oak

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Table 10. Observations Top 5 Observations Observations

Figure 10. Top 5 Observations

Count % Trees 6,000

Cavity Decay

5,472

82%

5,000

Crown Dieback

4,741

71%

4,000

Vines

2,025

31%

3,000

82% 71%

31% Poor Structure

1,401

21%

2,000

21%

1,000 Serious Decline

315

5%

5% 0

TOTAL OBSERVATIONS 13,954

Cavity Crown Decay Dieback

Vines

Poor Serious Structure Decline

Date notes: 13,954 total observations and 614 trees had no observations recorded

INVENTORY

PLANNING

MAINTENANCE

SUSTAINABLITY Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Tree Maintenance Needs The following provides detailed summaries of the recommended maintenance needs observed during the January 2019 to April 2019 tree inventory. These summaries provide an overview and were used to develop the high-risk tree maintenance recommendations provided on page 23.

Of the 6,638 trees inventoried within the County rights-of-way, 2,369 trees were prescribed a Recommended Action. 116 trees were prescribed a secondary Recommended Action for a total of 2,485 recommended maintenance actions. This secondary recommendation was provided in case the primary recommendation cannot be immediately addressed or funding is unavailable. For example, a tree may have a primary recommendation of “Clearance Prune” and a secondary recommendation of “Large Tree Routine Prune”.

Table 11. Recommended Action Recommended Action

Total Count

% All Trees

Risk Removal

321

5%

High-Priority Prune

224

3%

Recommended Removal

528

8%

Clearance Prune

238

4%

Further Inspection

26

0.4%

Large Tree Routine Prune

1,148

17%

TOTAL

2,485

37%

N/A

4,269

Figure 11. Summary of Recommended Action (2,369 trees of 6,638 total trees)

Clearance Prune, 4% Recommended Removal, 8%

Further Inspection, 0.4%

Risk Removal, 5%

HighPriority Prune, 3% Large Tree Routine Prune, 17%

The table and figure above describe the maintenance needs of the trees inventoried. Of the 6,638 total trees, a total of 321 (5%) trees were identified as having a high-risk and are recommended for immediate removal. A total of 224 (3%) trees require immediate pruning (“High-Priority Prune”) to mitigate potential risks. A total of 4,269 trees were not given a recommended maintenance action.

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Table 12. Risk Removal Summary DBH Range

Count

% Within

>30in

46

14%

24-30in

59

18%

18-24in

68

21%

Figure 12. Summary of Recommended Risk Removals by Diameter Range 130

140 120 100

12-18in

130

40%

80 59

60

68

46

40 6-12in

18

6%

TOTAL

321

100%

18

20 0 >30in

24-30in

18-24in

12-18in

6-12in

The table and figure above show that of the 321 high-risk tree removals, the majority (40%, 130 trees) are in the 12-18-inch diameter range. A total of 46 (14%) trees are greater than 30 inches in diameter and may pose a greater risk due to their large size.

Table 13. High-Priority Prune Summary DBH Range

Count

% Within

>30in

95

42%

24-30in

54

24%

Figure 13. Summary of Recommended High-Priority Pruning Needs 100

95

80 18-24in 12-18in 6-12in

49 25 1

22% 11%

54

60

49

40

0%

20

100%

0

25 1

TOTAL

224

>30in

24-30in

18-24in

12-18in

6-12in

Table and Figure 13 show that of the 224 trees with a High-Priority Prune recommendation, the majority (42%, 95 trees) of trees are greater than 30 inches in diameter. The 24-30-inch and 18-24-inch diameter classes comprise nearly half of the remaining trees requiring High-Priority Prune.

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Table 14. Recommended Removal Summary DBH Range >30in

Count

Percent

52

10%

Figure 14. Summary of "Recommended Removals" 278

300 24-30in

77

15%

250

18-24in

117

22%

200 150

12-18in

278

53%

117 77

100 52

6-12in

4

1%

50

4

0 TOTAL

528

100%

>30in

24-30in

18-24in

12-18in

6-12in

Trees that are not a high-risk but are dead or in decline were given a recommended action of “Recommended Removal�. A total of 528 trees are recommended for removal with the majority (53%, 278 trees) of trees in the 12-18-inch diameter class.

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High-Risk Tree Summaries The following tables and figures provide summaries of the recommended actions by County Route Number and quadrant for the County to mitigate existing and potential risks. Note that the columns are color coordinated to represent the key summary. These tables/figures are summarized as follows:

➢ Risk management needs by ordered County Route Number ➢ County Route Number ordered by highest percent of high-risk removals ➢ County Route Number ordered by highest percent of risk management required ➢ Count of ash and oak ordered by County Route Number ➢ County Route Number ordered by highest count of ash and oak trees ➢ County Route Number ordered by total count of ash and oak trees ➢ Tree risk management recommendations by County quadrant (NW-NE-SE-SW)

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Total Tree Count

195 380 96 226 88 547 494 819 27 158 169 91 157 71 24 1 1 48 28 261 88 12 193 1 293 42 2 18 268 8 146 246 358 29 4 152 4 209 13 143 131 3 37 357 6,638

Route #

512 513 514 517 518 519 523 579 600 601 602 604 605 607 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 623 625 626 627 628 629 631 633 635 637 639 641 643 645 647 650 651 TOTAL

4 11 2 4 6 14 20 42 0 3 10 4 4 3 2 0 0 0 0 16 1 2 10 0 9 5 0 0 20 0 4 7 55 0 0 9 0 30 1 5 8 0 0 10 321

2% 3% 2% 2% 7% 3% 4% 5% 0% 2% 6% 4% 3% 4% 8% 0% 0% 0% 0% 6% 1% 17% 5% 0% 3% 12% 0% 0% 7% 0% 3% 3% 15% 0% 0% 6% 0% 14% 8% 3% 6% 0% 0% 3%

1% 3% 1% 1% 2% 4% 6% 13% 0% 1% 3% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5% 0% 1% 3% 0% 3% 2% 0% 0% 6% 0% 1% 2% 17% 0% 0% 3% 0% 9% 0% 2% 2% 0% 0% 3%

2 2 1 1 0 8 17 34 1 0 16 0 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 6 0 0 4 0 9 1 0 0 3 0 0 15 52 2 0 4 0 9 2 5 7 0 2 16 224

1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 1% 3% 4% 4% 0% 9% 0% 0% 4% 4% 0% 0% 2% 0% 2% 0% 0% 2% 0% 3% 2% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 6% 15% 7% 0% 3% 0% 4% 15% 3% 5% 0% 5% 4%

1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 4% 8% 15% 0% 0% 7% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0% 0% 2% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 7% 23% 1% 0% 2% 0% 4% 1% 2% 3% 0% 1% 7%

23 26 0 15 4 37 45 55 2 7 20 12 6 3 2 0 0 4 2 46 1 1 17 0 10 4 1 3 21 0 18 17 34 1 0 14 0 37 0 10 12 0 3 15 528

12% 7% 0% 7% 5% 7% 9% 7% 7% 4% 12% 13% 4% 4% 8% 0% 0% 8% 7% 18% 1% 8% 9% 0% 3% 10% 50% 17% 8% 0% 12% 7% 9% 3% 0% 9% 0% 18% 0% 7% 9% 0% 8% 4%

4% 5% 0% 3% 1% 7% 9% 10% 0% 1% 4% 2% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 9% 0% 0% 3% 0% 2% 1% 0% 1% 4% 0% 3% 3% 6% 0% 0% 3% 0% 7% 0% 2% 2% 0% 1% 3%

3 8 37 0 0 0 36 21 0 0 9 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 9 11 11 1 7 0 0 1 0 2 17 0 0 3 34 0 0 0 0 8 0 4 0 0 2 10 238

2% 2% 39% 0% 0% 0% 7% 3% 0% 0% 5% 1% 1% 1% 4% 0% 0% 0% 32% 4% 13% 8% 4% 0% 0% 2% 0% 11% 6% 0% 0% 1% 9% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 0% 3% 0% 0% 5% 3%

1% 3% 16% 0% 0% 0% 15% 9% 0% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 5% 5% 0% 3% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 7% 0% 0% 1% 14% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0% 2% 0% 0% 1% 4%

Count of % within Route - % of Total Count of % within Route % Total Count of % within Route % Total Count of % within % Total Risk (Hazard) Risk (Hazard) Risks High-Priority High-Priority High-Priority Recommended Recommended Recommended Clearance Route Clearance Removals Removals (Hazards) Prune Prune Prune Removal Removal Removal Prune Clearance

32 47 40 20 10 59 118 152 3 10 55 17 11 10 6 0 0 5 11 79 13 4 38 0 28 11 1 5 61 0 22 42 175 3 0 27 0 84 3 24 27 0 7 51 1,311

16% 12% 42% 9% 11% 11% 24% 19% 11% 6% 33% 19% 7% 14% 25% 0% 0% 10% 39% 30% 15% 33% 20% 0% 10% 26% 50% 28% 23% 0% 15% 17% 49% 10% 0% 18% 0% 40% 23% 17% 21% 0% 19% 14%

2% 4% 3% 2% 1% 5% 9% 12% 0% 1% 4% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 6% 1% 0% 3% 0% 2% 1% 0% 0% 5% 0% 2% 3% 13% 0% 0% 2% 0% 6% 0% 2% 2% 0% 1% 4%

Total Count % Requiring % of Total Requiring Risk Mgmt Requiring Risk Mgmt w/in Route Risk Mgmt

Table 15. Summary of Risk Management Needs by County Route Number

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Total Tree Count

358 819 209 494 268 261 547 380 169 193 357 293 152 131 246 88 42 143 195 226 91 157 146 158 71 96 24 12 88 13 27 1 1 48 28 1 2 18 8 29 4 4 3 37 6,638

Route #

629 579 639 523 625 614 519 513 602 617 651 619 635 645 628 518 620 643 512 517 604 605 627 601 607 514 609 616 615 641 600 610 611 612 613 618 621 623 626 631 633 637 647 650 TOTAL

55 42 30 20 20 16 14 11 10 10 10 9 9 8 7 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 321

15% 5% 14% 4% 7% 6% 3% 3% 6% 5% 3% 3% 6% 6% 3% 7% 12% 3% 2% 2% 4% 3% 3% 2% 4% 2% 8% 17% 1% 8% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

17% 13% 9% 6% 6% 5% 4% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

52 34 9 17 3 6 8 2 16 4 16 9 4 7 15 0 1 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 224

15% 4% 4% 3% 1% 2% 1% 1% 9% 2% 4% 3% 3% 5% 6% 0% 2% 3% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 1% 4% 0% 0% 15% 4% 0% 0% 2% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 7% 0% 0% 0% 5%

23% 15% 4% 8% 1% 3% 4% 1% 7% 2% 7% 4% 2% 3% 7% 0% 0% 2% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1%

34 55 37 45 21 46 37 26 20 17 15 10 14 12 17 4 4 10 23 15 12 6 18 7 3 0 2 1 1 0 2 0 0 4 2 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 528

9% 7% 18% 9% 8% 18% 7% 7% 12% 9% 4% 3% 9% 9% 7% 5% 10% 7% 12% 7% 13% 4% 12% 4% 4% 0% 8% 8% 1% 0% 7% 0% 0% 8% 7% 0% 50% 17% 0% 3% 0% 0% 0% 8%

6% 10% 7% 9% 4% 9% 7% 5% 4% 3% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 1% 1% 2% 4% 3% 2% 1% 3% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1%

34 21 8 36 17 11 0 8 9 7 10 0 0 0 3 0 1 4 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 37 1 1 11 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 238

9% 3% 4% 7% 6% 4% 0% 2% 5% 4% 3% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 2% 3% 2% 0% 1% 1% 0% 0% 1% 39% 4% 8% 13% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 32% 0% 0% 11% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5%

14% 9% 3% 15% 7% 5% 0% 3% 4% 3% 4% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 2% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 16% 0% 0% 5% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1%

Count of % within Route - % of Total Count of % within Route % Total Count of % within Route % Total Count of % within Risk (Hazard) Risk (Hazard) Risks High-Priority High-Priority High-Priority Recommended Recommended Recommended Clearance Route % Total Removals Removals (Hazards) Prune Prune Prune Removal Removal Removal Prune Clearance Clearance

175 152 84 118 61 79 59 47 55 38 51 28 27 27 42 10 11 24 32 20 17 11 22 10 10 40 6 4 13 3 3 0 0 5 11 0 1 5 0 3 0 0 0 7 1,311

49% 19% 40% 24% 23% 30% 11% 12% 33% 20% 14% 10% 18% 21% 17% 11% 26% 17% 16% 9% 19% 7% 15% 6% 14% 42% 25% 33% 15% 23% 11% 0% 0% 10% 39% 0% 50% 28% 0% 10% 0% 0% 0% 19%

13% 12% 6% 9% 5% 6% 5% 4% 4% 3% 4% 2% 2% 2% 3% 1% 1% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% 2% 1% 1% 3% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1%

Total Count % Requiring % of Total Requiring Risk Mgmt Requiring Risk Mgmt w/in Route Risk Mgmt

Table 16. County Route Number Ordered by Highest % Risk Removal

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Total Tree Count

358 819 494 209 261 268 547 169 357 380 246 96 193 195 293 152 131 143 146 226 91 88 157 28 42 88 158 71 37 24 48 18 12 27 29 13 2 1 1 1 8 4 4 3 6,638

Route #

629 579 523 639 614 625 519 602 651 513 628 514 617 512 619 635 645 643 627 517 604 615 605 613 620 518 601 607 650 609 612 623 616 600 631 641 621 610 611 618 626 633 637 647 TOTAL

55 42 20 30 16 20 14 10 10 11 7 2 10 4 9 9 8 5 4 4 4 1 4 0 5 6 3 3 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 321

15% 5% 4% 14% 6% 7% 3% 6% 3% 3% 3% 2% 5% 2% 3% 6% 6% 3% 3% 2% 4% 1% 3% 0% 12% 7% 2% 4% 0% 8% 0% 0% 17% 0% 0% 8% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

17% 13% 6% 9% 5% 6% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 1% 3% 1% 3% 3% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 0% 1% 0% 2% 2% 1% 1% 0% 1% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

52 34 17 9 6 3 8 16 16 2 15 1 4 2 9 4 7 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 2 1 1 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 224

15% 4% 3% 4% 2% 1% 1% 9% 4% 1% 6% 1% 2% 1% 3% 3% 5% 3% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2% 0% 0% 4% 5% 4% 2% 0% 0% 4% 7% 15% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

23% 15% 8% 4% 3% 1% 4% 7% 7% 1% 7% 0% 2% 1% 4% 2% 3% 2% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

34 55 45 37 46 21 37 20 15 26 17 0 17 23 10 14 12 10 18 15 12 1 6 2 4 4 7 3 3 2 4 3 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 528

9% 7% 9% 18% 18% 8% 7% 12% 4% 7% 7% 0% 9% 12% 3% 9% 9% 7% 12% 7% 13% 1% 4% 7% 10% 5% 4% 4% 8% 8% 8% 17% 8% 7% 3% 0% 50% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

6% 10% 9% 7% 9% 4% 7% 4% 3% 5% 3% 0% 3% 4% 2% 3% 2% 2% 3% 3% 2% 0% 1% 0% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

34 21 36 8 11 17 0 9 10 8 3 37 7 3 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 11 1 9 1 0 0 1 2 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 238

9% 3% 7% 4% 4% 6% 0% 5% 3% 2% 1% 39% 4% 2% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0% 0% 1% 13% 1% 32% 2% 0% 0% 1% 5% 4% 0% 11% 8% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

14% 9% 15% 3% 5% 7% 0% 4% 4% 3% 1% 16% 3% 1% 0% 0% 0% 2% 0% 0% 0% 5% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Count of % within Route - % of Total Count of % within Route % Total Count of % within Route % Total Count of % within Risk (Hazard) Risk (Hazard) Risks High-Priority High-Priority High-Priority Recommended Recommended Recommended Clearance Route % Total Removals Removals (Hazards) Prune Prune Prune Removal Removal Removal Prune Clearance Clearance

175 152 118 84 79 61 59 55 51 47 42 40 38 32 28 27 27 24 22 20 17 13 11 11 11 10 10 10 7 6 5 5 4 3 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,311

49% 19% 24% 40% 30% 23% 11% 33% 14% 12% 17% 42% 20% 16% 10% 18% 21% 17% 15% 9% 19% 15% 7% 39% 26% 11% 6% 14% 19% 25% 10% 28% 33% 11% 10% 23% 50% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

13% 12% 9% 6% 6% 5% 5% 4% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Total Count % Requiring % of Total Requiring Risk Mgmt Requiring Risk Mgmt w/in Route Risk Mgmt

Table 17. County Route Number Ordered by Highest Count of Risk Management

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Table 18. Summary of Ash and Oak Counts by Ordered County Route Number Route #

Ash Count % Ash

Oak Count % Oak Ash/Oak Count

512 146 4% 46 2% 192 513 290 8% 85 3% 375 514 16 0% 78 3% 94 517 134 4% 88 3% 222 518 63 2% 18 1% 81 519 337 9% 207 7% 544 523 284 8% 198 7% 482 579 326 9% 490 17% 816 600 8 0% 19 1% 27 601 94 3% 63 2% 157 602 107 3% 51 2% 158 604 48 1% 40 1% 88 605 47 1% 108 4% 155 607 42 1% 29 1% 71 609 15 0% 8 0% 23 610 1 0% 0 0% 1 611 0 0% 1 0% 1 612 4 0% 42 1% 46 613 8 0% 20 1% 28 614 184 5% 71 2% 255 615 35 1% 53 2% 88 616 7 0% 5 0% 12 617 118 3% 68 2% 186 618 0 0% 1 0% 1 619 137 4% 156 5% 293 620 27 1% 15 1% 42 621 2 0% 0 0% 2 623 8 0% 10 0% 18 625 87 2% 170 6% 257 626 8 0% 0 0% 8 627 128 4% 18 1% 146 628 72 2% 173 6% 245 629 189 5% 106 4% 295 631 19 1% 10 0% 29 633 3 0% 1 0% 4 635 90 3% 57 2% 147 637 0 0% 4 0% 4 639 151 4% 40 1% 191 641 7 0% 5 0% 12 643 96 3% 46 2% 142 645 59 2% 72 2% 131 647 1 0% 2 0% 3 650 0 0% 37 1% 37 651 174 5% 181 6% 355 TOTAL 3,572 2,892 6,464 Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Table 19. County Route Number Ordered by Count of Ash & Count of Oak Trees

Route Count (Ash) Route Count (Oak) 519 579 513 523 629 614 651 639 512 619 517 627 617 602 643 601 635 625 628 518 645 604 605 607 615 620 631 514 609 600 613 623 626 616 641 612 633 621 610 647 611 618 637 650 TOTAL

337 326 290 284 189 184 174 151 146 137 134 128 118 107 96 94 90 87 72 63 59 48 47 42 35 27 19 16 15 8 8 8 8 7 7 4 3 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 3,572

579 519 523 651 628 625 619 605 629 517 513 514 645 614 617 601 635 615 602 512 643 612 604 639 650 607 613 600 518 627 620 623 631 609 616 641 637 647 611 618 633 610 621 626 TOTAL

490 207 198 181 173 170 156 108 106 88 85 78 72 71 68 63 57 53 51 46 46 42 40 40 37 29 20 19 18 18 15 10 10 8 5 5 4 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 2,892

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Table 20. County Route Number Ordered by Total Count of Ash & Oak Trees Route #

Ash Count % Ash

Oak Count % Oak Ash/Oak Count

579 326 9% 490 17% 816 519 337 9% 207 7% 544 523 284 8% 198 7% 482 513 290 8% 85 3% 375 651 174 5% 181 6% 355 629 189 5% 106 4% 295 619 137 4% 156 5% 293 625 87 2% 170 6% 257 614 184 5% 71 2% 255 628 72 2% 173 6% 245 517 134 4% 88 3% 222 512 146 4% 46 2% 192 639 151 4% 40 1% 191 617 118 3% 68 2% 186 602 107 3% 51 2% 158 601 94 3% 63 2% 157 605 47 1% 108 4% 155 635 90 3% 57 2% 147 627 128 4% 18 1% 146 643 96 3% 46 2% 142 645 59 2% 72 2% 131 514 16 0% 78 3% 94 604 48 1% 40 1% 88 615 35 1% 53 2% 88 518 63 2% 18 1% 81 607 42 1% 29 1% 71 612 4 0% 42 1% 46 620 27 1% 15 1% 42 650 0 0% 37 1% 37 631 19 1% 10 0% 29 613 8 0% 20 1% 28 600 8 0% 19 1% 27 609 15 0% 8 0% 23 623 8 0% 10 0% 18 616 7 0% 5 0% 12 641 7 0% 5 0% 12 626 8 0% 0 0% 8 633 3 0% 1 0% 4 637 0 0% 4 0% 4 647 1 0% 2 0% 3 621 2 0% 0 0% 2 610 1 0% 0 0% 1 611 0 0% 1 0% 1 618 0 0% 1 0% 1 TOTAL 3,572 2,892 6,464 Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Figure 15. Summary of the Tree Risk Management for Each County Route

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Table 21. Tree Risk Management Recommendations by County Quadrant Quad Route #

Tree Count Requiring Risk Management

Count of % within Route % of Total Risk - Risk (Hazard) Risks (Hazard) Removals (Hazards) Removals

NE 512 NE 513 NE 517 NE 523 NE 620 NE 621 NE 623 NE 628 NE 629 NE 639 NE 641 SubTotal NW 513 NW 519 NW 579 NW 614 NW 617 NW 625 NW 627 NW 628 NW 631 NW 635 NW 643 NW 645 SubTotal SE 514 SE 518 SE 523 SE 579 SE 600 SE 601 SE 602 SE 604 SE 607 SE 609 SE 612 SE 613 SE 617 SE 650 SubTotal SW 513 SW 519 SW 523 SW 579 SW 604 SW 605 SW 615 SW 616 SW 619 SW 651 SubTotal

28 21 20 42 10 1 3 11 137 74 3 350 15 29 94 64 29 44 22 27 3 26 19 27 399 3 10 18 11 3 10 41 5 9 5 5 2 1 5 128 1 30 17 25 11 10 2 3 28 41 168

4 5 4 11 5 0 0 4 55 30 1 119 5 10 30 16 10 20 4 3 0 9 5 8 120 2 6 5 6 0 3 10 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 40 1 4 4 6 1 4 1 2 9 10 42

Total

1,045

321

14% 24% 20% 26% 50% 0% 0% 36% 40% 41% 33% 34% 33% 34% 32% 25% 34% 45% 18% 11% 0% 35% 26% 30% 30% 67% 60% 28% 55% 0% 30% 24% 60% 33% 40% 0% 0% 0% 0% 31% 100% 13% 24% 24% 9% 40% 50% 67% 32% 24% 25%

3% 4% 3% 9% 4% 0% 0% 3% 46% 25% 1% 100% 4% 8% 25% 13% 8% 17% 3% 3% 0% 8% 4% 7% 100% 5% 15% 13% 15% 0% 8% 25% 8% 8% 5% 0% 0% 0% 0% 100% 2% 10% 10% 14% 2% 10% 2% 5% 21% 24% 100%

Count of HighPriority Prune

2 2 1 11 1 0 0 0 52 9 2 80 0 6 28 6 3 3 0 15 2 4 5 7 79 1 0 0 2 1 0 16 0 3 1 1 0 1 2 28 0 2 6 4 0 0 0 0 9 16 37

% within Route % Total Count of % within Route % Total - High-Priority High-Priority Recommended Recommended Recommended Prune Prune Removal Removal Removal

7% 10% 5% 26% 10% 0% 0% 0% 38% 12% 67% 23% 0% 21% 30% 9% 10% 7% 0% 56% 67% 15% 26% 26% 20% 33% 0% 0% 18% 33% 0% 39% 0% 33% 20% 20% 0% 100% 40% 22% 0% 7% 35% 16% 0% 0% 0% 0% 32% 39% 22%

224

3% 3% 1% 14% 1% 0% 0% 0% 65% 11% 3% 100% 0% 8% 35% 8% 4% 4% 0% 19% 3% 5% 6% 9% 100% 4% 0% 0% 7% 4% 0% 57% 0% 11% 4% 4% 0% 4% 7% 100% 0% 5% 16% 11% 0% 0% 0% 0% 24% 43% 100%

22 14 15 20 4 1 3 7 30 35 0 151 10 13 36 42 16 21 18 9 1 13 9 12 200 0 4 13 3 2 7 15 2 3 2 4 2 0 3 60 0 24 7 15 10 6 1 1 10 15 89

79% 67% 75% 48% 40% 100% 100% 64% 22% 47% 0% 43% 67% 45% 38% 66% 55% 48% 82% 33% 33% 50% 47% 44% 50% 0% 40% 72% 27% 67% 70% 37% 40% 33% 40% 80% 100% 0% 60% 47% 0% 80% 41% 60% 91% 60% 50% 33% 36% 37% 53%

15% 9% 10% 13% 3% 1% 2% 5% 20% 23% 0% 100% 5% 7% 18% 21% 8% 11% 9% 5% 1% 7% 5% 6% 100% 0% 7% 22% 5% 3% 12% 25% 3% 5% 3% 7% 3% 0% 5% 100% 0% 27% 8% 17% 11% 7% 1% 1% 11% 17% 100%

500

Note: Trees with more than one recommended maintenance value were assigned the higher risk value (e.g. clearance prune, recommended removal = recommended removal)

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Figure 16. Summary of Risk Management Needs by Quadrant 450

400

350

300

200 151

250

200

150

80

79 89

100

50

60

119

120

28

37

40

42

SE

SW

0 NE

NW

Count of Risk (Hazard) Removals

Count of High-Priority Prune

Count of Recommended Removal

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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TREE RISK MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the data collected during the inventory, the County should prioritize high-risk removals and pruning followed by clearance issues and routine maintenance. The following provides recommended actions in order of importance that should be supported by the MS Excel Workbook and the Tree Plotter inventory software application provided as part of the High-Risk Tree Plan project (provides addresses and location of the trees on an online map).

High-Risk Removals 1. In Tree Plotter/Excel/GIS, filter data to show all trees marked as a high-risk requiring removal.

2. Filter/sort the data to show all trees with high-risk removal and by: a. County Route Number or quadrant (provided as a GIS shapefile) b. Tree Diameter c. Further Inspection 3. View an example map of all trees with a high-risk recommended for removal here (321 trees): a. https://pg-cloud.com/HunterdonCounty/?scenario=HighRiskRemovals 4. Observe the photos attached to associated trees.

5. Schedule removals accordingly.

High-Priority Pruning 1. In Tree Plotter/Excel/GIS, filter the data to show all trees marked for High-Priority Pruning.

2. Filter/sort the results by other attributes such as: a. County Route Number or quadrant (provided as a GIS shapefile) b. Tree Diameter c. Tree Maintenance Comments (e.g. large deadwood) d. Consider genus (i.e. Fraxinus and Quercus) and alternatively remove tree 3. View an example map of all trees requiring high-priority pruning here (224 trees): a. https://pg-cloud.com/HunterdonCounty/?scenario=HighPriorityPrune 4. Observe any photos attached to associated trees.

5. Schedule maintenance accordingly.

County Quadrant Maintenance Conducting or contracting tree maintenance may best be budgeted/planned or competitively bidded on if all maintenance is completed in the same region at the same time.

1. Address all immediate high-risk removals countywide as soon as possible.

2. Track this maintenance status in Tree Plotter/Excel/GIS. 3. Then, filter/sort remaining trees by County quadrant (provided as a GIS shapefile) by: a. Recommended Action b. Tree Diameter c. Condition d. Other 4. Address and schedule maintenance accordingly.

Recommended Removals (Low-Risk) 1. In Tree Plotter/Excel/GIS, filter the data to show all trees marked for Recommended Removal.

2. Filter/sort the results by other attributes such as: a. County Route Number or quadrant (provided as a GIS shapefile) b. Tree Diameter c. Tree Observations (e.g. Cavity Decay) 3. View an example map of all trees marked as Recommended Removal here (528 trees): a. https://pg-cloud.com/HunterdonCounty/?scenario=RecommendedRemoval Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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4. Observe any photos attached to associated trees.

5. Schedule inspection and maintenance accordingly.

Monitoring of Ash & Oak Trees 1. In Tree Plotter/Excel/GIS, filter the data to show all ash and oak trees by using the genera Fraxinus and Quercus, respectively.

2. Filter/sort the results by other attributes such as: a. Condition b. Tree Diameter c. Recommended Action d. County Route Number or quadrant (provided as a GIS shapefile) e. Tree Observations (e.g. Crown Dieback) 3. View an example map of all ash and oak trees with the following criteria: a. Ash or oak trees in less than good condition, greater than 18� in DBH, with Crown Dieback or Serious Decline Observations (2,525 trees of 6,464 ash/oak) b. https://pg-cloud.com/HunterdonCounty/?scenario=LargeAshOakPoorCondition

Clearance Pruning 1. In Tree Plotter/Excel/GIS, filter the data to show all trees marked for Clearance Pruning.

2. Filter/sort the results by other attributes such as: a. County Route Number or quadrant (provided as a GIS shapefile) b. Tree Diameter or Tree Condition c. Tree Observations and/or Maintenance Comments d. Consider genus (i.e. Fraxinus and Quercus) and alternatively remove tree 3. View an example map of all trees marked for Clearance Pruning here (238 trees): a. https://pg-cloud.com/HunterdonCounty/?scenario=ClearancePruning

Routine Pruning 1. In Tree Plotter/Excel/GIS, filter the data to show all trees marked for Routine Pruning.

2. Filter/sort the results by other attributes such as: a. County Route Number or quadrant (provided as a GIS shapefile) b. Genus & Condition – e.g. an ash tree in less than good condition may be considered for Recommended Removal instead c. Tree Diameter d. Tree Condition e. Tree Observations and/or Maintenance Comments 3. View an example map of all trees marked for Routine Pruning here (1,148 trees): a. https://pg-cloud.com/HunterdonCounty/?scenario=RoutinePruning

Continued Tree Monitoring Continued tree inspections and monitoring can help reduce an accumulation of expensive and/or highrisk trees. It is important to monitor the condition and pest/disease symptoms for the Fraxinus and Quercus trees due to emerald ash borer and bacterial leaf scorch. The tree inventory data should be updated in Tree Plotter/Excel/GIS as maintenance and future surveys are conducted.

Storm Response It is recommended to use the tree inventory data and recommended actions to develop a storm response plan if the County does not have one currently in place.

Funding & Support Use this information to build the funding and support for risk tree mitigation, monitoring, and prevention along with the necessary resources for all other tree related maintenance and planning activities.

24 Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

Estimated High-Risk Maintenance Costs The following provides the estimated costs for high-risk removals, high-priority pruning, and recommended removals based on industry standards and the count of trees in each diameter class.

This interactive worksheet was provided as part of the project and can be adjusted over time.

Table 22. Estimated Costs for Tree Risk Management based on 2019 Inventory Estimated Costs for Each Activity Activity

High-Risk Removals1

Activity Total Natural Mortality2 Activity Total

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

DBH Range Cost/Tree Total # of Trees # of Trees Total Cost # of Trees Total Cost # of Trees Total Cost # of Trees Total Cost # of Trees Total Cost 0-3in $50 0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 3-6in $130 0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 6-12in $245 18 6 $1,470 6 $1,470 6 $1,470 0 $0 0 $0 12-18in $395 130 43 $17,117 43 $17,117 43 $17,117 $0 $0 18-24in $585 68 23 $13,260 23 $13,260 23 $13,260 $0 $0 24-30in $930 59 20 $18,290 20 $18,290 20 $18,290 $0 $0 >30in $1,250 46 15 $19,167 15 $19,167 15 $19,167 $0 $0 321 107 $69,303 107 $69,303 107 $69,303 0 $0 0 $0 Removals

0-3in 3-6in 6-12in Low-Risk Removals 12-18in Distributed 10 Years 18-24in 24-30in >30in Activity Total

$0 $0 $4,410 $51,350 $39,780 $54,870 $57,500 $207,910

$512

66 66

13 13

$6,758 $6,758

13 $6,758.40 13 $6,758

13 $6,758.40 13 $6,758

13 13

$6,758 $6,758

13 13

$6,758 $6,758

$33,792 $33,792

$50 $130 $245 $395 $585 $930 $1,250

0 0 4 278 117 77 52 528

0 0 0 28 12 8 5 53

$0 $0 $98 $10,981 $6,845 $7,161 $6,500 $31,585

0 0 0 28 12 8 5 52

0 0 0 28 12 8 5 52

0 0 0 28 12 8 5 52

$0 $0 $0 $10,981 $6,845 $7,161 $6,500 $31,487

0 0 0 28 12 8 5 52

$0 $0 $0 $10,981 $6,845 $7,161 $6,500 $31,487

$0 $0 $98 $54,905 $34,223 $35,805 $32,500 $157,531

$75 $120 $170 $225 $305

1 25 49 54 95 224

1 8 16 18 32 75

Projected Removal Costs 6-12in 12-18in High-Priority Pruning3 18-24in 24-30in >30in Activity Total

5-Year Total Cost

$107,646

Projected Pruning Costs

$75 $1,000 $2,777 $4,050 $9,658 $17,560 $17,560

Projected Budget $125,206 1 Address any high-risk trees as soon as possible (1-3 years) 2 Based on average cost of removal and 1% natural mortality of the 6638 inventoried trees 3 Address in the first 3 years

$0 $0 $0 $10,981 $6,845 $7,161 $6,500 $31,487 $107,548

0 8 16 18 32 74

$0 $1,000 $2,777 $4,050 $9,658 $17,485 $17,485 $125,033

$0 $0 $0 $10,981 $6,845 $7,161 $6,500 $31,487 $107,548

0 8 16 18 32 74

$0 $1,000 $2,777 $4,050 $9,658 $17,485 $17,485 $125,033

$38,245 0 0 0 0 0 0

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $38,245

$38,245 0 0 0 0 0 0

$399,233

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

$75 $3,000 $8,330 $12,150 $28,975 $52,530

$0

$52,530

$38,245

$451,763

➢ Based on the inventory and industry estimates, the total cost for 321 high-risk tree removals is a total of $207,910. It is recommended that these trees be addressed in the next 1-3 years. ➢ A total of 528 trees are recommended for removal but pose a low risk. This count was distributed over 10 years. The cost at year 5 is approximately $157,531. ➢ High-priority pruning costs based on the counts of trees per diameter class is an estimated $52,530.

It is recommended that these high-priority trees be addressed in the next 1-3 years. ➢ Other maintenance such as routine pruning, monitoring, and pruning are not included. ➢ The total annual estimated cost for risk tree management in years 1-3 is approximately $125,000 with a 5-year total of $451,763. ➢ It should be noted that these estimates are to be used for demonstration purposes only.

CONCLUSION Recurrent inspections to determine tree health and condition are critical for successful risk management programs. Trees in active-use areas should be inspected annually for defects and conditions leading to failure. Inspections are necessary after storms to ensure excessive loads have not exceeded the strength of the tree and its parts. Also, trees with a history of failures or those with problematic structure should require more frequent monitoring and inspection. A good database and archive of tree evaluations is a critical strategy in the overall risk management plan.

Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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Hunterdon County, NJ High-Risk Tree Management Plan

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