To validate the problem before committing significant Homes Association dollars for complete tree removal and replacement, an arborist was invited to physically inspect all of the pines on the Mission Rd screening berms. The bad news is that the pine trees in question look as good today as they are ever going to look. They are over 10 years old and have nearly reached their maximum size. They have contracted a variety of diseases, infestations or stunted growth conditions. They can be sprayed; they can be pruned; and the needles can be removed to promote longer life, but…

The good news is that they are all Austrian pines rather than a mixture of Austrian and Scotch. The Austrian pines are more resistant to disease and infestation. The arborist also found that while there are several varieties of fungus, disease and infestation, only a small percentage are actually impacted by the borer that was discussed during last year’s Homes Association meeting. He recommended a 3 to 4 year removal and replacement plan rather than wholesale uprooting of the entire tree population in one season. He also indicated that not all of the removed trees should be replaced, because stunted growth due to overcrowding was also a pervasive issue with these trees.

Based on that recommendation, Board representatives walked the property to identify two groups for immediate action: 1) trees that were in the worst shape and in obvious need of immediate removal, and 2) trees that were in the best shape that could, with proper maintenance, last us another 5 or 10 years. The inspection identified 14 trees for removal and 17 trees for pruning and maintenance. This impacted only about 1/3 of the total pine tree population.

Bids were solicited from Everhart Tree Service, Arbor Masters Tree & Landscape and Russell Lawn Care to complete the work. Russell Lawn Care was awarded the bid. The intent was to do some work immediately to get rid of the bad while protecting the best. Then, after considering the budget, come back to classify the remaining trees into “keep and maintain” vs. “remove and replace” categories. 14 trees were removed and 17 trees were pruned along Mission Rd (both north and south of the entrance). Based on the arborist’s recommendation, we can manage the removal and replacement of the remainder of diseased trees over a period of years, rather than days, as was previously thought.

To prevent the tree problems from getting out of hand this year, the 2011 budget includes an allocation of $450.00 out of the property maintenance fees for “Tree Pruning” along with discretionary funds of $1500.00 that were set aside for “Tree Removal” (evenly split between Spring and Fall). In addition, discretionary funds of $2500.00 were budgeted for “Tree/Perennial Shrub Re-Planting” which will occur in September or October when end-of-season pricing is at its best. The fall replanting will include a mix of trees and shrubs based on the arborist’s recommendation. This will help improve visual and noise screening on the berms, but will not re-introduce the overcrowding that was a key contributor to our current state of affairs. While still a significant neighborhood investment, this $4450.00 is a far cry from the tens of thousands of dollars in current year expense we were potentially facing when the issue was introduced last year.