Evaluation of oaks at 408 N Tift Ave

These three older oaks are on city property in front of a home along busy Tift Avenue, and have taken a beating over the years due to storm damage and some improper pruning practices that left large branch stubs.  As a result, a lot of decay has occurred in their remaining branches, causing them to fall apart slowly. 

Although the trees may stand for another 20 years or more, they are a serious hazard in that the dead branches they are shedding are quite large.  The city has the option of pruning out the "deadwood", but this would require drastic work and the march of decay will continue nonetheless.  Therefore, the Tifton Tree Board has recommended the removal and replacement of these particular trees.

For more information on common tree hazards and how decay works, see the following links:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep507
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/plantpathology/ext_files/PPFShtml/PPFS-OR-W-1.pdf

 In the following photos, the considerable large deadwood is highly visible hanging over the property and street.

External staining indicates a column of decay inside this codominant branch which would weaken its branch attachment.