Almstead clients Rob and Kate Barron hosted a “Last Swing” event at their home in Pelham for neigboring families to celebrate the long life of a well loved Red Oak in their front yard. The Barrons added a swing to the hundred-year-old tree when they moved in, and it quickly became a hit with the street's many children. The family originally called for some pruning work on the Oak, but sadly it turned out that the tree was hazardous and needed to be removed.
At the request of the Barrons, Ken Almstead - CEO and practicing arborist of Almstead Tree & Shrub Care Co. - was at the event to explain to the children and parents how he knew the tree was hazardous and why it was important to remove it. Almstead performed a series of resistograph tests on the Red Oak and determined that the majority of the tree was hollow. The test results established that the tree was very likely to fail in inclement weather or high winds. (You can read about resistograph testing at our website almstead.com/hazardoustrees.php).
Representatives from Almstead Tree & Shrub Care Co. also lead an acorn collecting and preservation activity so that the neighborhood children can plant new Oaks in the spring. In the spirit of celebration, there was also hot chocolate and time to say final goodbyes.
Upon hearing about the tree removal, The Pelham Arts Center contacted several wood carving artists and the center will be leading a free children's class to work with the wood of the removed tree next summer. Almstead Tree Company will be sponsoring his residency at the Pelham Arts Center, and the class will be free to the public.
