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North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Departm~t M Hot d(:ultur e/~4TiCulmt i David Go.nh Cabanas Count,/C~i~t~ P.o. Box 3e7 Concord, He 29026 704/792-0430 i~]x:704/792*OS 39 e..nu#: dWM_L, O4'O~thOnC~u.ed# Dear Steve Li~le, On July 29th at your request, I evaluated 6 Bradford Pears around the courthouse in Concord. The Bradfords are about 28 years old, with normal growth and foliage. No insects or disease is evident. As you know Bradford pears are prone to breakage from wind by the nature of the narrow crotch and included bark common in pear trees. I found recent damage as well as previous damage in these trees. Each tree had one or more narrow angled crotches that were unsafe. The International Society of Arboriculture standard is that one major fault or three moderate faults creates a hazardous failure potential. You then have to consider the size of the part and the target. All of these trees are hazardous by their criteria. See attached Evaluation Form for additional details on hazardous tree inspections. Most lawsuits concerning trees use the reasonable man standard. In other words the county would be liable if a reasonable man could figured out that a tree which had dropped limbs twice was likely to split again. That would probably sound reasonable to 12 people who couldn't get out of jury duty. I recommend removing and replacing all 6 trees. Si~ely, David Gof(~rth- / Agriculture Extension Agent Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, nationat origin, sex, age, or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. [~epari:ment of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.