Hess Landscape Construction Sets Record for Largest Trees Relocation in Rhode Island

LOS ANGELES - April 23, 2014 - PRLog -- Newport, Rhode Island 4/21/14 – Two trees that are believed to be the two largest Carpinus Betulus trees in the state of Rhode Island have been safely transplanted approximately one quarter mile from their original location. The first of the European hornbeams (Latin: Carpinus Betulus) is 78 feet in height by 66 feet in width, with a caliber of 42 inches; the second stands 68 feet tall with a canopy of 57 feet wide and a caliber of 39 inches. Both trees are estimated to weigh approximately 300,000 pounds each, and have been inspected by arborists who believe them to be the largest ‘Carpinus Betulus’ trees in the state to be relocated.

This 30-day relocation project, which began on March 18, is being performed by international tree relocation experts Hess Landscape Construction, Inc. Based out of Southern California Hess is know for expertise in large tree transplanting of Historic Specimen trees and supplying of massive trees across the national to some of the largest projects being built., Hess in 2012 transplanted the Largest Oak in the State of Texas, weighing close to 270 Metric Tons. The first portion of the project was comprised of logistical planning, no easy task due to the sheer size of the trees being relocated and the equipment required to preform such a task. “Newport, Rhode Island is accessed by bridges over water, and getting heavy equipment onto the island requires going over those bridges. All of them have their own weight and width restrictions,” said Hess Landscape Construction president Erik Hess. “All loads coming on to the island had to be permitted, and in some cases, escorted.”

According to Hess, the trees were in outstanding condition prior to being removed on April 14, and are adapting to their new environment well in the days since the transplant. “They were well maintained before the project began,” Hess said, “and in the days leading up to the relocation, we carried out our own pre-transplant protocol: irrigation, selective pruning and other proprietary practices that are unique to our company.”  His company’s trademark boxing and encapsulation method has been called the safest possible tree transplantation method in practice today, because it preserves the root ball of the tree and protects the tree from going into shock. “We also use a box and pipe method to use as a safe lifting platform thus decreasing the fracturing of rootballs,” Hess said.

Following the Rhode Island project, Hess Landscape Construction crews will be going to Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island, New York to relocate 33 trees on the United States Coast Guard training facility. “There are all various species and sizes,” Hess said. “We are really looking forward to being part of a project that improves housing accommodations for the U.S. Coast Guard; it’s exciting to use our expertise on the grounds of such an important military installation."