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Assessing Extent And Severity Of Mechanical Injuries In Trees
University Outreach Publication
Assessing new mechanical injuries present in a tree using visual, non-invasive observations is difficult and prone to wild variability, inaccuracy, and assessor subjectivity. Assessment of relative damage levels is valuable when precision allows for comparisons across one site and over many sites. Judging recent mechanical injuries from visual criteria, although imperfect, can help gauge the relative amount of damaged tissue visible and estimate the total amount of damaged tissue present.
This assessment tool determines new injury extent, severity, and position in the tree. This tool depends upon a tree-literate, knowledgeable assessor evaluating the injury area and the entire crosssectional area where the injury occurs. This concept is derived from static strength (bending and twisting) equations used in engineering where the weakest point of the cross section is the location of any failure. In a living, reacting tree, with a highly variable injury history, and under dynamic loading this concept is at best incomplete. This assessment method does help develop discipline, consistency, and observational skills in training assessors. This method can also help quantify, on a relative basis, the extent and severity of recent tree injuries.
(FOR96-37) September 1996
Kim D. Coder
1996
University of Georgia School of Forest Resources
Athens, GA
4
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Best Management Practices (BMPs), Compartmentalization (CODIT), Inventory (forest), Landscape Design, Plant Health Care, Diagnosis and Treatment, Health (tree), Risk Assessment and Hazard, Construction
National
Injury formula, Damage assessment, Injury assessment, Leaf characteristics, Mechanical injuries
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