Case Study: Leaning maple at Hillman Park

​A constituent reported that a tree was actively falling over in a park near their house!

The subject tree was a Big Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) with a diameter at standard height of 32 inches, and a total height of approximately 40 feet. The lean of the low trunk was approximately 45 degrees as measured with a phone clinometer app.

In this instance, a Level 1 walkaround inspection was sufficient. Unmowed brush under the tree indicated a low occupancy rate, and a quick look through Google confirmed that this tree had been leaning for more than 16 years.

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​This project was built as an assignment for the Tree Risk Management module within the MSc Arboriculture and Urban Forestry course at Myerscough College. All photos and content are my own unless otherwise attributed or cited. All names, addresses, and dates are made up, but accurately reflect site conditions at the time of assessment.