City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/306909
4HE TREES IN THESE EXHIBITS ARE ALL PROTECTED WITH HOT WIRE AND HOT VINE SYSTEMS TO PREVENT ANIMALS FROM ACCESSING THE TREES )N THE EVENT THAT AN ANIMAL DOES MANAGE TO GAIN TREE ACCESS WE ALSO HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THE DISTANCE THESE ANIMALS COULD JUMP EITHER OUT OF THE EXHIBIT OR INTO A TREE ADJACENT TO THE EXHIBIT BOUND ARIES AND WE PRUNE ACCORDINGLY 7E ALSO INSPECT THE PERIMETER OF ALL EXHIBITS TO ENSURE THAT ANY TREES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY FALL OR LOSE LARGE BRANCHES CREATING A BREACH IN THE CONTAINMENT STRUCTURES ARE REMOVED OR TRIMMED "Y EITHER FALL ING INTO AN EXHIBIT OR LEANING ONTO BOUNDARY STRUCTURES THESE TREES COULD ENABLE ANIMALS TO CLIMB OUT 'OOD COMMUNICATION AMONG THE !RBOR STAFF AND THOSE OF OTHER SEC TIONS INCLUDING ANIMAL AND HORTI CULTURE STAFF ALLOWS US TO BETTER SCHEDULE AND PRIORITIZE THE MAN AGEMENT OF TREES IN AND AROUND THE EXHIBITS THUS ELIMINATING THE POTENTIAL FOR ANIMAL ESCAPES OR CON TAINMENT FAILURES ±3PCFSU.D$SPSZ "SCPS4VQFSWJTPS$FSUJGJFE"SCPSJTU/PSUI $BSPMJOB;PPMPHJDBM1BSL"TIFCPSP/PSUI $BSPMJOB - AINTAINING LARGE SPECIMEN TREES IN AN URBAN FOREST IS DIFFI CULT UNDER hNORMALv CIRCUMSTANCES BUT OUR WORK IS EVEN MORE CHALLENG ING WHEN THE RESIDENTS ARE GORILLAS ORANGUTANS TIGERS AND THE LIKE 7HEN IMPLEMENTING A TREE CARE PRO GRAM FOR OUR MATURE TREES HERE AT :OO !TLANTA ACRES HA OUR MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS ARE SCHEDULING THE WORK SO AS NOT TO DISRUPT OUR ANIMALS OR VISITORS AND GRAPPLING WITH DESIGN CHALLENGES IN EXHIBITS THAT ARE NOT CONDUCIVE TO EASE OF MAINTENANCE !S THEY ARE THE STARS OF THE SHOW WE TRY TO HAVE OUR ANIMALS ON EXHIBIT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE !S THE :OOS ATTEN DANCE SLOWS DOWN IN WINTER WE SCHED ULE OUR LARGER MORE DISRUPTIVE TREE WORK AT THAT TIME WHEN THE ANIMALS ARE GOING TO BE OFFEXHIBIT ANYWAY /ÃÊÕ}>ÃÊvÀÊÌÀiiÊ*ÃiÕ`ÌÃÕ}>ÊiâiîÊ>ÃÊLiiÊÀÕLLi`Ê>`ÊÃVÀ>«i`ÊLÞÊ}ÀââÞÊ Li>ÀÃÊvÀÊÌiÊ>ÃÌÊÓäÊÞi>ÀÃ]ÊÀiÃÕÌ}ÊÊ>ÊÃiÀiÃÊvÊV«>ÀÌiÌ>â>ÌÊ>ÞiÀðÊ*ÌÊLÞÊ >iÊ* )N THE LATE S :OO !TLANTA WENT THROUGH A RENAISSANCE PERIOD TRANSI TIONING FROM OUTDATED CONCRETEANDCAGE EXHIBITS TO MORE MODERN NATURAL ISTIC OUTDOOR HABITATS 4HE NEW HABITATS INCORPORATED EXISTING MATURE TREES BUT WERE CONSTRUCTED WITH LITTLE THOUGHT TO THE LONGTERM MAINTENANCE OF THE TREES &OR INSTANCE MAINTAINING THE OR SO MIXED HARDWOOD TREES IN FOUR OF THE GORILLA AND ONE OF THE ORANGUTAN HABITATS IS A UNIQUE CHALLENGE BECAUSE EACH HABITAT IS SURROUNDED BY A FOOT M WIDE FOOT DEEP MOAT :OO !TLANTAS TREE CARE REGIMEN INCLUDES PRUNING ROOT ZONE THERAPY AND INSPECTION OF TREE CABLING AND LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEMS 4O GET PERSONNEL EQUIPMENT AND DEBRIS INTO AND OUT OF THE EXHIBITS REQUIRES EITHER BUILDING A BRIDGE OVER THE MOATS WHICH ISNT VERY PRACTICAL OR SAFE OR GOING THROUGH A BUILDING WHICH HOUSES THE ANIMALS IN THEIR OVERNIGHT HOLDING AREAS 4HE LATTER IS WHAT WE USUALLY DO (AULING EQUIPMENT AND DEBRIS BACK AND FORTH THROUGH THE TIGHT HALLWAYS AND STAIRS OF THE HOLDING BUILDING WHILE WORKING AROUND THE PRIMATE KEEPERS TRYING TO COMPLETE THEIR HUSBANDRY ROUTINES CAN BE STRESSFUL ON HUMANS AND ANIMALS ALIKE AND IT REQUIRES A GREAT DEAL OF FLEXIBILITY :OO !TLANTA IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE A FIRSTCLASS TREE CARE PARTNER IN $OWNEY 4REES WHICH HAS THE EXPERTISE AND FLEXIBILITY TO WORK AROUND THE :OOS ANIMALS VISITORS AND SCHEDULE ±%BSSZM8JOEIBN)PSUJDVMUVSF.BOBHFS ;PP"UMBOUB"UMBOUB(FPSHJB ! S A METROPOLITAN ZOO WITH A FINITE FOOTPRINT ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE AT 4HE (OUSTON :OO IS TRYING TO EVER INCREASE AND IMPROVE OUR EXHIBITORY WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO ADD TO OUR ACREAGE ACRES HA 4HIS INVOLVES CARE FUL PLANNING AND IN MOST CASES REDESIGN AND RENOVATION OF CURRENT AREAS 7HILST WE ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO PLAN AND DESIGN NEW EXHIBITORY AROUND OUR EXISTING MATURE TREES WITH OUR LIMITED SPACE THIS IS SOMETIMES JUST NOT POS SIBLE ÜÜÜ°ÕÀL>vÀiÃÌÀÞ°V