A Very High Amount of Apple Scab In Our Area
Apple Scab is a foliar fungal disease that affects all species of the Apple Family, particularly flowering Crabapple trees. As new, tender leaves are emerging, microscopic fungal spores land on them and begin their life cycle. As the fungus matures, it causes unsightly lesions on the leaf. The leaves turn brown and drop off in the middle of Summer. Due to the combination of weather factors this year, we have seen a very high amount of Apple Scab across our area.
Good News... Kinnucan Can Help! Enroll in our Ornamental Treatment Program. It is a great way to control this disease and, better yet, prevent it from causing problems in the future!
CONTACT KINNUCAN TODAY for a Free Consultation! 847-234-5327 • Kinnucan.com
2024 Is A Particularly Bad Year for Magnolia Scale
Magnolia Scale is an insect with a protective armored shell. It feeds on the sap of Magnolia trees and as they feed, Scale will excrete a waste known as honeydew. Honeydew will attract insects and parasitic wasps. It will also turn the Magnolia’s leaves black as well as anything under the tree that the honeydew drips onto.
Good News...there is Hope! Kinnucan provides a multi-step treatment plan that interrupts the life cycle of this unusual pest!
CONTACT KINNUCAN TODAY for a Free Consultation! 847-234-5327 • Kinnucan.com
Tick &. Mosquito Populations on the Rise!
Spring has finally arrived in our area with temperatures in the mid to upper 80’s! With the recent rain, combined with heat and humidity, we are already seeing mosquito and tick populations on the rise. These pests are not just a nuisance to your outdoor activities ~ they can also transmit illnesses from Lyme Disease to West Nile Virus and others that could pose health risks to people and even pets.
CALL TODAY for a FREE CONSULTATION on Our SAFE & EFFECTIVE Treatment Options… 847.234.5327
Why Are the Oak Trees Dying?
This question is most asked these days in the Northern suburbs of Chicago. Residents' tree awareness is especially keen these days, it seems, since the area has lost hundreds of thousands of ash trees due to the Emerald Ash Borer. So, what is causing the death of so many oak trees?
The answer is complex—a number of factors. The comprehensive answer is a combination of diseases, weather phenomena, and insects. In this article, we’ll explore these causes in depth and offer solutions to protect your oak trees.
The Complex Causes of Oak Tree Decline
Are there diseases that affect only one species of oak trees? Yes, Burr Oak Blight (BOB). This fungal disease affects Burr Oaks specifically, causing leaf discoloration and defoliation.
What diseases affect other oak species, such as White Oaks and Red Oaks? Oak Wilt, a vascular fungus disease, kills many White and Red Oaks. This disease is very similar to Dutch Elm disease since it’s primarily spread by bark beetles and/or adjacent trees’ roots grafting. It appears that the Red Oaks are more susceptible than the White Oak varieties.
In addition to these diseases, the extreme weather the Midwest has experienced over the last decade, combining excessively wet, dry, hot, and cold weather spells, has caused significant stress on the oak species.
Oak Wilt: A Deadly Vascular Disease
There is no cure for oak wilt. The best prevention for this deadly disease is frequent inspection of suspect oaks. If disease is identified and confirmed, remove the infected tree. Root pruning adjacent trees may prevent root grafting of diseased trees to healthy trees.
The Role of Pests and Fungal Diseases
Pests like bark beetles contribute to the spread of oak wilt fungus, while other fungal diseases, such as oak root rot and hypoxylon canker oak, weaken the tree’s structure. Are there other factors, insects, or diseases afflicting oak trees? Yes, environmental conditions combined with existing diseases often exacerbate oak decline.
Recognizing Symptoms of Oak Tree Diseases
How do I properly diagnose the condition of my oaks? Contact a certified arborist that is trained and experienced in dealing with the various oak diseases.
Symptoms to watch for include:
- Black fungus on oak tree trunk
- Brown spots on oak tree leaves
- Wilting oak leaves
- Mushrooms on oak trees
These signs may indicate fungal infections like oak leaf blister, burr oak disease, or root-related issues such as oak root rot fungus.
Proactive Measures to Protect Your Oaks
Preventative care is essential to maintain healthy oak trees. To protect your oaks:
- Conduct regular inspections to identify issues early.
- Avoid pruning during peak bark beetle activity to minimize the spread of oak wilt disease.
- Improve soil drainage and reduce stress on trees to prevent infections like oak blight or root rot in oak trees.
When to Call a Professional
Proper diagnosis and treatment require expertise. Certified arborists can determine the presence of oak wilt symptoms or other diseases and recommend solutions, including oak wilt fungicide applications, root pruning, or tree removal.
By understanding the risks and taking action quickly, we can help ensure that oak trees remain a vital part of our landscapes for generations to come.
New President at Kinnucan!
On April 29,2021 Kris Bockhaut was promoted to President of Robert Kinnucan Tree Experts and Landscaping Company, Inc.
Ms. Bockhaut began her career at Kinnucan as Office Manager specializing in Human Resources and Accounting functions. January 2016 Ms. Bockhaut was promoted to Vice President and CFO. She has been a significant officer at Kinnucan which has experienced significant growth in top line sales and asset acquisitions. She provides great leadership and is key to the wonderful corporate culture that Kinnucan clients and employees appreciate.
Robert Kinnucan, former President of Kinnucan will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer.
Forest & Bluff Magazine Article
CULTURE & COMMUNITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
A STEADY CLIMB
How One Young, Nature-Loving Lake Forester Took His Summer Job to Stratospheric Heights
words by Rochelle Newman Rubinoff
portrait photography by Ray Fitzgerald Photography
There are so many ways Robert Kinnucan’s story could begin: How a summer job turned into a multi-million dollar business; or how a love of nature became a lifetime of success and satisfaction; or how one inexperienced tree climber grew his tree care business to be one of the most successful in the Chicago area.
This July, Robert Kinnucan Tree Experts and Landscaping Company, Inc. celebrated its 50-year anniversary. That is quite an accomplishment by any standard, and definitely a time to look back and take stock. There is no doubt that Bob Kinnucan is one of the few entrepreneurs who turned what was initially a summer job into a wildly successful company.
In 1970, Kinnucan returned home to Lake Forest during his summer vacation from the University of Kentucky, where he was studying business administration and economics, and started doing tree care work to help pay for college tuition and living expenses.
“I didn’t have a clue what I was doing,” Kinnucan laughs. “I was young and dumb. I didn’t even know how to properly climb a tree.”
“I hadn’t thought I was going to do this for the rest of my life,” Kinnucan says. “But nevertheless, after I graduated, I thought I’d do this for a little while. At least for the summer and then when fall came, I’d get a real job. But when fall came I had more work, so I thought I’d do it for a few more months and finish up the commitments I had.”
“But the work just kept coming, and I decided if I was going to do this, I’d better make a serious commitment. So I went out and started buying more equipment and that’s how the business got started. I went into this full time after I graduated in 1972.”
“In those days, there were not many professional arborists,” Kinnucan says. He decided to take the Illinois Tree Expert exam, which covered all aspects of professional tree care.
As time went on, the business grew, and in the mid-’80s they added landscape design and construction, plant health care, snow removal, and holiday décor to their areas of expertise. In 2016, Kinnucan added structural pest control to their list of services.
I always knew I’d have my own business—getting a degree in business was extremely helpful in becoming a long-term successful business.” He was an early adaptor of a special climbing technique using a short line in addition to the regular long climbing line that was traditionally used. “This is much safer, as the short rope attaches at the waist allowing you to be secured to the tree at all times,” he explains. “I was also one of the first arborists in the Chicago area to use a STIHL-brand German chainsaw. It’s kind of like driving a Mercedes versus a Chevy.” Today Stihl is the industry standard chainsaw.
Kinnucan, of course, has always loved nature. “That was an important part of why I got into this business. I spent a lot of time hiking, exploring, and enjoying nature in my youth.” He was a proud member of Boy Scout Troop 49 in Lake Forest. “Our troop was very active,” Kinnucan reflects. “We camped out once a month, all year long, regardless of the weather conditions.”
While Kinnucan is still active in the business, he has built a strong management team, which allows him to split his time between Florida and Lake Forest. “Truly, the key to my success is having great people work for me,” Kinnucan says.
It is no surprise that many of his 50 employees have been with him for decades. One of whom is Kris Bockhaut, who started as office manager twenty years ago and was promoted to vice president in 2015.
“I take pride in the changes and growth we have experienced over the years. We have an outstanding team and every crew member plays an important role in the company’s continued success,” Bockhaut says.
In addition to the amazing team they have in place, Kinnucan is equally grateful to have an incredible and loyal client base. “I have become close friends with so many of them,” Kinnucan says. “Our clients take pride in their homes and landscapes, and that commitment affords us the opportunity to maintain their property at the high level of service they deserve.”
Of course, being in business during the current COVID-19 pandemic presents its own unique set of concerns. “But anyone who’s been in business for this length of time has faced many crises and challenges,” Kinnucan adds.
“Tree work is one of the most dangerous occupations,” Kinnucan says, continuing, “safety has always been a top priority for the company and is a big challenge, especially considering the dangerous equipment, hazardous conditions, and often working in inclement weather.”
Kinnucan greatly appreciates the support of the community, and over the years has donated time, talent, money, and resources to many local projects. Some of them include a recent landscape renovation at Washington Park in Lake Bluff, in conjunction with the Lake Bluff Garden Club; tree care at Forest Park in Lake Forest; tree work at the Lake Forest Beach bluff project; tree care at the park at Deerpath and Green Bay; and the lighting at Lake Bluff Gazebo Park. Kinnucan has been a member of the community for half a century, contributing to the beauty and vitality of the North Shore.“We are looking forward to continuing our efforts for many years to come.”
For more information, contact Kinnucan Company, 2887 Nagel Court, Lake Bluff, 847-234-5327, kinnucan.com.
Crews in Evanston Treating Elm Trees!
Kinnucan Tree Experts has been contracted by the City of Evanston to treat their parkway Elm Trees against the Elm Bark Beetle. Work is progressing nicely and should be completed by end of Summer!
Lake Bluff’s One-of-a-Kinda Washington Park
By Michael Stephenson
In the early 1990s, the Lake Bluff Garden Club discovered a neglected lot on the corner of Sheridan Road and Washington Avenue. The property had one redeeming feature: a stately 200-year-old bur oak tree, which inspired the club to restore the lot. Volunteers pulled weeds, discarded litter, and planted three crabapple trees. The village dedicated Washington Park in 1995, just in time for Lake Bluff’s 100th anniversary.
Since then, garden club members have mulched, planted, watered and weeded the lawn and flowerbeds annually.
“Washington Park has been a place for members to gather for a friendly chat while pulling weeds or edging a bed,” said Peggy Pezza, the club’s civics chairperson.
Sadly, in 2018, the Washington Park bur oak died. The garden club decided to use the wood to make a table and benches for the park. John Palenske, landscape project manager at Kinnucan Tree Experts and Landscape Company, heard about the idea. Two months later, Palenske told club members that in honor of Lake Bluff’s 125th anniversary, Kinnucan would restore Washington Park and maintain the site for one year, at no cost, a $65,000 donation.
Palenske recruited Deirdre Toner, DT Design, LLC, to plan the new garden, and he invited Mike Jarvi, master woodcrafter from Crab Tree Farm, to design and build the table and benches using wood harvested from the bur oak. The tree removal, table and benches, new sprinkler system and plant name signage was donated by a Lake Bluff family to foster the love of the nature and gardening in Lake Bluff.
It was a “true Lake Bluff community effort,” said Marietta Hance, special projects chairperson for the Lake Bluff Garden Club.
Instrumental in reviving the park were Deirdre Toner, DT Design, LLC, and John Palenske, Kinnucan Tree Experts and Landscape Company.
With garden club member input, Toner focused on themes of sustainability and community learning. Visitors can explore the garden following a path under the 25-year-old crabapple trees, passing hour-glass shaped beds filled with more than 60 species of primarily native plants, each with a story to tell. For example:
- Indian Pinks (Spigelia marilandica) attract hummingbirds
- Bowman’s Root (Gillenia trifoliata) was used by Native Americans to treat respiratory conditions, stomach disorders, bee stings and bug bites
- Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia) provides protective cover for birds
- Palm Sedge (Carex muskigumensis) has triangular stems
- Lavender Hyssop (Agastache x Blue Fortune) leaves and flowers make a tasty tea
As Lake Bluff’s only “teaching garden,” Washington Park’s design sets the stage for visitors to observe and learn about sustainable perennial gardening.
If you’re looking to gather with family and friends, the gray hexagonal table in the center of Washington Park is the perfect spot to socialize. To honor the bur oak tree’s symbolic importance to Washington Park, Jarvi carved a Celtic Spirit of the Tree on one of the tables’ legs.
“Kids will enjoy the carving,” Jarvi said.
The Celtic Spirit carved into the table leg is just one of Washington Park’s many charms
Mike Jarvi built the bur oak table in the workshop at Crab Tree Farm in Lake Bluff
All of the paths at Washington Park meet ADA-approved standards. There is an open space at the table for wheelchair accessibility. Future improvements are planned, including a water fountain with a drink well for dogs.
The Washington Park rededication ceremony is planned for 2021 to coincide with Lake Bluff’s 125th Anniversary celebrations, which were rescheduled from this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Until then, plan a visit to Washington Park. It is a storied spot with a unique history.
Washington Park is at the corner of Washington Avenue and Sheridan Road, Lake Bluff.
Important Message About Landscaping, Lawn Care, and Tree Care During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Illinois
Please read below a joint statement from the Illinois Landscape Contractors Assocation, the Illinois Green Industry Assocation, and the Illinois Arborist Association regarding green industry work during the “Stay-at-Home” Executive Order issued on March 20, 2020.
Local government officials:
Due to the high visibility of landscape contractors in your communities, our three organizations felt it would be wise to provide guidance to municipal government officials on landscape industry businesses during the “Stay-at-Home” Executive Order issued on March 20, 2020. We feel the more information municipalities have will improve communication with your communities and service providers. This will help answer resident questions if they arise.
The landscape industry requested additional information from the Governor’s office about whether lawn, landscape, and tree services were essential services under Section 12, Paragraph H of the Executive Order that reads:
Critical trades. Building and Construction Tradesmen and Tradeswomen, plumbers, electricians, exterminators, cleaning and janitorial staff for commercial and governmental properties, security staff, operating engineers, HVAC, moving and relocation services, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences, Essential Activities, and Essential Businesses and Operations;
Although landscaping is not mentioned by name, landscape services were verified as essential by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Activity on March 23, 2020. They released an FAQ document on essential businesses that reads:
Can residential and commercial lawn service remain open?
Yes. Many landscape projects will fit under an exemption such as construction, agriculture, or public works. Outdoor landscape projects generally will provide for good social distancing that poses little risk of transmission, but it still is important to ensure the ability to wash or sanitize hands and take other precautions.
The FAQ document is included here: https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/Documents/Essential%20Business%20Checklist3-22.pdf
This would include essential services for the following trades: landscape contractors (construction and maintenance), lawn care, irrigation, and tree care.
Additional information on green industry businesses: These fall under Section 12, Paragraphs A & B of the Executive Order
Garden Centers – These establishments sell materials for customers to produce fruits and vegetables at their residences, sell firewood, pet supplies, and other household essentials. They are adapting business policies and procedures to protect employees and customers, in alignment with CDC guidelines, while serving the needs of the community.
Nurseries, Growers, Greenhouses – These businesses fall under agricultural production and are listed as essential businesses under the EO.
Please share this information with your communities so they better understand what landscape and agricultural businesses are able to operate under the terms of the Executive Order set to expire on April 7th.
Regards,
Scott Grams
Executive Director
Illinois Landscape Contractors Association
sgrams@ilca.net
Kellie Schmidt
Executive Director
Illinois Green Industry Association
kellie@illinoisgreen.net
Jake Miesbauer
President
Illinois Arborist Association
jmiesbauer@mortonarb.org
Great Article… Extremely Difficult Tree Removal Solved By Employing Rescue Training Techniques!
Using Caving and Mountaineering Techniques to Transport Wood
By Norm Hall
The client’s home was on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. They wanted a better view of the lake. Removing the trees wasn’t a big deal; however, transporting the wood out to the disposal area was a major concern. Photo courtesy of the author
Have you ever had to remove and haul the wood from trees growing on a bluff? We had such a job on Lake Michigan in a North Shore suburb of Chicago. There were approximately 15 of 30 trees to remove, ranging in diameter from 5 inches to 20 inches. Most of the removals were Norway maple (Acer platanoides), with a few black locust (Robinia psuedoacacia) mixed in. Removing the trees wasn’t a big deal; however, transporting the wood out to the disposal area was our major concern.
The only access was a 102-step switchback path going from the client’s bluestone patio to near the bottom of the bluff. Hauling the wood along this staircase would be doable, but exhausting. Was there another option?
Before the bid was given to the client, the sales arborist and I previewed the site to
determine what we thought would be the best method to transport the wood out of the bluff. There were plenty of trees to use as rigging points. We chose to use a highline system. This article will explain our setup process, the advantages and limitations of using this system and how it improved job safety and efficiency.
What led to the job
The home is located in a very affluent neighborhood on a bluff with a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. The bluestone patios on both the first and second floors overlook the lake, but the view to the lake was obscured by the numerous trees on the bluff. The client desired a greater view of Lake Michigan. A neighbor was very satisfied with some bluff work our company had completed on their property, so they referred us to this new client.
This home is in a village that requires all homeowners to obtain a permit for the removal of any tree more than 8 inches in diameter to prevent the removal of “desirable” trees. In addition, a fee is charged based on the species and diameter of the tree(s) being removed. The village forester appraised these trees for removal, and the fees totaled more than $15,000.
The work order
- Remove 15 trees and crown-thin the remaining trees on the bluff;
- Deadwood prune five trees and remove four small, declining trees in the front; and
- Haul all debris.
The job was bid for 10 days. About 85 percent of the work was on the bluff. The majority of the 15 removals were one quarter to three-quarters of the way down the bluff. To help control soil erosion, shrubs, ornamentals and ivy are planted beneath all the bluff trees. To protect the vegetation beneath, we would use rigging lines, blocks and lowering devices.
The lay of the land
This custom-built, multi-million-dollar home is the last one on a winding dead-end street and has a beautiful cobblestone drive. On one side of the home is an 80-foot-long by 4-foot-wide flagstone walkway. The flagstone walkway begins from the drive and ends at a 10-step flagstone staircase heading down to the first-floor patio. Shrubs and ornamentals are planted next to the foundation on one side of the walkway, and an arborvitae hedge screens the neighbor’s home on the other. The clearance along the walkway ranged from 4 to 6 feet. Shrubs and ivy plantings are on the opposite side of the home, leaving no access for debris removal. The flagstone walkway was our only route to haul debris.
This is the anchor tree for the landing. NOTE: This tree was slated for removal, so the lowering line and throw line string were left in the tree (to the left). The lowering line was removed and replaced with throw line string at the end of the day. Photo courtesy of the author.
At the end of the flagstone staircase is a huge first-floor bluestone patio. We needed to walk approximately 40 feet across this bluestone patio to reach a 12-step staircase that leads down to a sitting/viewing area near the top of the bluff. At this point there is a 102-step switchback path, 36 inches wide, that ends at the homeowner’s private beach. The step treads vary from 12 inches to 30 inches.
This is the anchor tree for the landing. NOTE:This tree was slated for removal, so the lowering line and throw line string were left in the tree (to the left). The lowering line was removed and replaced with throw line string at the end of the day. Photo courtesy of the author. »
The pitch of the bluff varies from 40 degrees to 45 degrees. Hauling debris straight up the bluff would not only compromise the safety of our workers, but would also be very exhausting. Using the switchback path was our safest option. Hauling brush and logs from these tree removals was going to be a monumental feat. We needed to explore all of our options.
The bluff slope was about 45 degrees. There was a switchback stairway heading from the deck to the lake, 102 steps total. Most of the removal trees were a quarter to three-quarters of the way down the bluff. Photo courtesy of the author. »
Possible Options
Using a crane.Using a crane was out of the question. The radius from the set-up point on the drive to the first-floor patio was 130 feet. That’s just to the patio, not down the bluff. Renting a crane of that size would probably damage the cobblestone drive, plus be outrageously expensive for the multi-day job.
Using a controlled-speed-line/slide-line technique.We have used these techniques in the past, but the brush would most likely get hung up and/or damage the plants beneath on the way up.
A highline/trackline system.There were plenty of trees to use as rigging points for a highline system, so we explored that. The switchback path had a 7-foot by 12-foot flagstone viewing area approximately three-quarters of the way down that we could use as a brush-stacking area. There was a tall black-locust tree just behind this area that could be used as a rigging point for one of the highline anchors. Near the top of the bluff was a Norway maple slated for removal. We could use this tree as the other anchor, once the trees limbs were removed. Using the above two trees as anchors would keep the brush 30 to 35 feet above grade and the angle of the highline at 10 degrees downward. Since the angle of the highline was pitched down, we needed to incorporate a haul system to get the brush and logs uphill to the Norway maple. This would mean using a rigging plate. We also had to figure out a way to haul the brush and logs up the 30- to 35- foot height of the highline.
The brush staging area at the bottom. Photo courtesy of the author.
Caving and mountaineering rescue techniques.I have been reading caving and mountaineering rescue books for 15 years. Mountain rescuers can build a rope system to hoist an injured climber from rock faces to the top of the cliff for patient transport.
Using both the highline/trackline and mountaineering rescue techniques, we could build such a system to transport wood up the bluff. I have a half-inch by 200-foot static line that I use for “slide lining.” About 20 years ago, I made a steel parallelogram-shaped plate from three-quarter-inch steel. The original purpose was to use it for slide lining. I drilled seven five-eighths-inch holes to accommodate 11mm steel locking carabiners (three on the top, three on the bottom and one on the uphill side). The uphill side hole was used as the control/haul-back line. The steel plate weighs 5 pounds. I keep three half-inch screw-pin shackles on this plate to use as links for the rescue pulleys. I like using screw-pin shackles to eliminate the possibility of a carabiner accidently opening. My thought was to use the steel plate as the transport carriage. All the other hardware and software, which included rescue pulleys, steel pear links and various ropes, were readily available.
The setup was going to be a little complex and there would be extremely high forces on the two anchor trees, which we had to be cognizant of. The setup would be as follows.
The half-inch by 200-foot static line would be anchored between the two trees.
A trolley system consisting of the rigging plate, connecting links and pulleys would be set up on the highline.
Haul-back/pull lines would be anchored to the side of the rigging plate.
A reeving system would be used that was able to go up and down in a controlled manner, using a tending micro pulley attached to the bottom of the rigging plate.
Performing the job
To eliminate any confusion, we sketched a diagram of the system so everyone was on the same page. Now we were ready to set up the highline.
The Norway maple tree near the top of the bluff was limbed up to the highline anchor point. We left the top of the tree to help with dampening the forces. The rigging friction saver, highline and haul system were installed. The black-locust tree near the bottom was without any branch unions where we wanted to anchor the highline and haul system, so it had to be climbed to set the rigging. Otherwise, we could have set this system using a throw-line string.
Due to the extremely high forces involved on the two anchor trees, we chose to thread the trackline through rigging friction savers and anchor them to Port-A-Wraps near the base of each tree. This setup served a dual purpose: (1) the resultant forces generated were directed on an angle, instead of horizontally; and, (2) the trackline rope tension was easily adjusted from the ground.
Speaking of the ropes tension, the static rope was not taut. We left a little slack to reduce the vector forces.
NOTE: Had we tensioned the static rope and not left any slack (180 degrees), the force on the anchor points would have been extremely high. Keeping the rope at a 175-degree angle with very little slack can generate vector forces up to 11 times the load. While in the two trees, we also installed the pull/haul-back pulleys, using spliced-eye slings, steel locking carabiners and rescue pulleys.
The next step was to install the rigging plate assembly onto the highline. Using two of the top holes, we anchored two CMI RP104 rescue pulleys to two half-inch screw-pin shackles. Using two pulleys helped spread the weight on the highline and prevented the rigging plate from rotating. The pins on the screw-pin shackles were torqued tight. Using the one side hole, we anchored one of the haul lines to the third screw-pin shackle. Since there wasn’t a hole on the opposite side, we chose to use a 10mm pear link connected to one of the top screw pin shackles, then tied the rope to that. Now we had a trolley system that could be moved back and forth between the two anchor trees.
The heart of the system, “The Carriage,” a piece of 3/4-inch steel
The reeving system was rigged with a 2-to-1 mechanical-advantage system to a “hitch-climber” pulley at the top. A hitch cord tied with a “VT” held the load once hoisted. Photo courtesy of the author.
Our last step was to install the haul system. We utilized all three holes on the bottom of the plate. This system was going to be very similar to an upside-down DdRT (doubled-rope) climbing system utilizing a PulleySaver. Using it in this configuration would give us a 2-to-1 mechanical advantage on the haul/lowering system.
We used a half-inch by 150-foot All Gear Blue Finish Line (static rope) as the haul rope. This rope had a sewn eye on one end, which was anchored to an end hole using a steel locking carabiner. The middle hole had a DMM Hitch climber pulley anchored to it using another steel locking carabiner. The Blue Finish Line was threaded through the Hitch Climber pulley, leaving a bight of rope for a CMI RP104 pulley that would be used for the “haul system.”
An illustration of the slope and trackline setup. Photo courtesy of the author.
A hitch cord was anchored to this rope (using a VT, or Valdotain Tresse knot) to capture and hold the rope once it was loaded. The other end hole had a micro pulley anchored to it using another steel locking carabiner. This micro pulley would hold a quarter-inch rope that would be used to collapse the VT and lower the load.
The CMI RP104-pulley haul system had a steel carabiner on it, which had a 3/8- inch fixed loop connected to it for hauling logs. When we hauled the brush, we switched to an eye-and-eye choker.
With the system installed, we were ready to transport the loads.
We positioned two workers at the brush/log staging area (#1, #2). These workers (#1, #2) put the eye-and-eye choker on the brush, then hoisted it up to the rigging plate. Another worker (#3) was up the hill at the base of the Norway maple. Once the load was hoisted to the rigging plate, this worker (#3) controlled the uphill transport of the load. Once the load was transported uphill, another worker (#4) was stationed near the Norway maple. He (#4) pulled on the quarter-inch rope to collapse the hitch in order to control-lower the load to his co-worker (#3) at the base of the Norway maple. The two workers (#1, #2) at the staging area would stack the brush and choke it to connect it to the RP104 pulley.
To ensure everyone’s safety, we limited the loads to 200 pounds, which was about the maximum one worker was able to continually hoist. Keep in mind, we rigged a 2-to-1 mechanical-advantage system which was on two pulleys with bronze, oiled bushings. This resulted in some efficiency loss due to the bushings. After a couple of complete load/hoist/haul cycles, the crew was elated at how easy and efficient the system was to use. All the wood from every tree removed on the bluff was transported using this trackline system. At the completion of the job, removing the trackline system was much easier than the setup.
Summary/End result
Although we had never used a trackline system before, we were able to save the company money by putting it together using the ropes and hardware from our inventory. The trackline system took a couple of hours to set up, but at the conclusion of the job it proved to be very useful and worthwhile, considering the amount of time and energy that was saved hauling the wood up the 102 steps. This trackline system also proved to be a very safe method to complete the job. The client and our company were very pleased with the end result, and I would highly recommend using this method for any bluff-type work.
This the black locust we used for the lower anchor. The trackline is 30-35 feet up. The hoisting pulley is just to the right of the worker. Photo courtesy of the author.
Norm Hall is an ISA Certified Arborist, a Certified Tree Worker Climber Specialist and a lead instructor for the Illinois Arborist Association Advanced Training Program. He has been in the tree care industry for more than 45 years. After several years with Kinnucan Tree Expert & Landscaping Co., an accredited, 41-year TCIA member based in Lake Bluff, Illinois, he recently took a position as a splicer and trainer with All Gear Inc., a 17- year TCIA Associate Member based in Northbrook, Ill.