Tree Protection Policy
June 16, 1998
Revised: June 30, 2009

RATIONALE

The campus urban forest is an important natural resource as well as a unifying element for the campus, helping to blend the many different building architectural styles into a unified campus environment. Trees contribute to the campus experience in many other ways. They provide summer shade, fruit and flower display, foliage shade and shadow and many environmental benefits. In addition, they add value to the campus experience educationally, aesthetically and environmentally and enhance our sense of connection with the past. The urban forest must therefore be managed in a way that preserves the existing forest. Many areas of the existing forest have been designated as future building sites and many of those designated sites contain very old and large trees. In order to protect the existing forest to the maximum extent feasible, a policy is needed to guide protection of them on those future building sites while allowing necessary campus development. Protection of trees is made more difficult because of misunderstandings of designers and contractors as to the importance of preserving the forest and what type of construction disturbance will either seriously harm or kill a tree. Oftentimes a tree will survive for several years after construction is completed before dying. By then, the construction disturbance that caused it to die is forgotten.

POLICY

Campus trees and other vegetation worth preserving are to be protected and preserved to the maximum extent feasible during construction. Only those trees and other vegetation that have been evaluated as being necessary to be removed to allow for new construction will be removed. Trees and other vegetation which have been evaluated as worth saving and designated to remain will be properly protected during construction to maximize the survival rate. In order to achieve an appropriate balance in saving and protecting trees and other vegetation while allowing necessary construction, the following procedure is to be followed:

Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) or their designate will prepare a topographical survey of the proposed construction site showing the accurate location of existing trees and other vegetation before a building design or any site planning is begun. The survey is to show all trees, including the variety, diameter (DBH) and condition as well as shrub masses and other important vegetation;

PDC will assure that the architect, engineer or landscape architect has the survey prior to beginning building or site design;

The campus landscape architect and/or a designated representative, will evaluate trees and other vegetation on a site to determine what is important to be saved. The evaluation is to be completed and approved by the campus landscape architect prior to beginning any building or site design;

PDC staff is to collaborate with the architect, engineer or landscape architect designing the building or site to adjust the building and/or site design when feasible in order to protect trees and other vegetation designated as important to save. The campus landscape architect (and campus planner as appropriate) is to be involved in the planning and review of the plans;

Trees, shrubs and other important vegetation designated as important to save, but which must be removed to allow construction should be otherwise saved if feasible. Trees of a size that can be reasonably transplanted should be moved to another location on the site if appropriate. If relocation on the site is not appropriate, a location in accordance with the Campus Urban Forest Study should be designated elsewhere on campus as appropriate. Trees designated as important to save which are too large to be reasonably transplanted are to be replaced in kind (a different variety might be appropriate) on the site. If replacement on the site is not appropriate, another location on campus should be designated as appropriate in accordance with the Campus Urban Forest Study. Replacement trees are to be of a size typical for campus plantings or larger if the situation warrants it. Proposed removals, relocations and replacements are to be approved by the campus landscape architect.

PDC will assure that trees to be saved are clearly delineated on the construction drawings, including the location of protective fencing. PDC will assure that the construction plans and specifications incorporate the PDC, Design Reference Manual guidelines for "Protection of Trees and Shrubs" The campus landscape architect is to review the construction documents as appropriate.

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

When a significant number of trees, as determined by the campus landscape architect on a case-by-case-basis, are to be removed from a site, public notification is to be provided in one or more of the following ways as designated by PDC and as appropriate;

For large projects:

Post the project site plan on the PDC website at least two weeks prior to any removal, clearly showing the proposed trees and important vegetation to be removed in conjunction with the proposed tree planting plan;

Hold a public forum to explain the project, including the proposed trees and important vegetation to be removed and the proposed tree planting plan;

Post a copy of the proposed site plan at the site at least two weeks prior to any removal, clearly showing the proposed trees and important vegetation to be removed in conjunction with the proposed tree planting plan. The postings should be adequate in number and location for the public to be easily informed.

For small projects:

PDC will notify the users/stakeholders of the proposed trees and important vegetation to be removed and the proposed tree planting plan, as well the campus landscape architect and head of Landscape Services. The campus landscape architect will notify others as appropriate.

When trees and important vegetation must be removed, they should be removed immediately from the site so that the impact of removal is not emphasized.