The Division Street Palm
The Tree Place (Formerly: Designs in Nature)
In the Fall of 2009, The Tree Place, formerly Designs in Nature, was (and still is) a tree contractor for the City of Carrollton. After reading the Dallas Morning News article by Jacquielynn Floyd, Lori Dennis, then Carrollton City Arborist, discussed the pending destruction of the tree due to road construction with Robert Hafkesbring, Owner of The Tree Place. It turned out that Robert was already familiar with the Division Street Palm and it's location. Lorri suggested that the tree would enhance Carrollton's Rainforest themed swimming pool which resulted in Robert offering to move tree for Good Will.
The size, species, steep slope, obstructions, and heavy debris around the base of the tree on the SW corner of the Division Street overpass to TX Highway 360 in Carrollton, TX, made for an incredibly complex and unusual operation for the Tree Place. Neverless, the Tree Place accepted the challenge and the tree was successfully removed from Arlington, TX on December 11, 2009 and transported to the Carrollton, TX Rainforest Pool area. New difficulties were encountered in replanting the tree but again overcome by The Tree Place team under the direction of the project mastermind Robert Hafkesbring. The following images summarize the work, professionalism, and generosity of The Tree Place that were applied to save The Division Street Palm.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
Professionals from The Tree Place meticulously hand digging around the base of the Division Street Palm to preserve a substantial root ball. Note the proximity of the tree to concrete from the overpass railing and the steep slope on the opposite side.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place professionals continuing work on root ball excavation. The steep slope from the south bound Texas Highway 360 lanes to the Division Street Palm is again apparent in this image. In addition, overhead wires and highway sign crowd the Division Street Palm.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place professionals continuing work on root ball excavation. Another issue complicating the removal was a light tower and associated wires reflected in this image just to the left of The Division Street Palm trunk. Fronds from the DSP actually enveloped the vertical member of the tower!
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
Tree Place workers pause for a photo including company officials Rhett and Robert Hafkesbring on right side of image. Throughout the move The Tree Place workers were cheerful and worked together as a team to overcome obstacles.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place workers adjusting one of the two straps that will be connected between the large fork lift and the DSP. These straps would be adjusted and moved a number of times to lift and manuever the DSP in stages around obstacles.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
With the root ball excavation completed the Division Street Palm is ready for removal. Note the concrete debris in the soil pile that was removed around the trunk circumference.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
This view, looking northwest up slope, reflects the numerous obstacles confronting The Tree Place workers in the removal effort. The orange large fork lift can be seen just to the north of the Division Street Palm on the eastbound lane of the overpass.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place workers stage equipment in the east bound lane of the Division Street overpass to Tx Highway 360 for the removal.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
Robert Hafkesbring of The Tree Place uses large fork lift to raise the Division Street Palm via the heavy duty strap severing ties with Arlington soil.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
To lift the tree around formidable obstacles required skillfull manuevering which was accomplished by a number of strap adjustments to position the tree to clear the bridge railing to the north and light pole to the south as well as wires above!
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
The large fork lift (right-orange) rotates the tree in steps, with stops for strap adjustments, to clear obstacles. Rotation is produced by adjusting the connection length of stap attachments at two points on the trunk to the fork.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
View of the base of the tree, tilted to the northeast, reflecting the root ball and bottom strap attachment. The other strap attachment further up the trunk.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
Robert Hafkesbring of The Tree Place operates the forklift to continue rotation of the tree to clear the bridge railing and wires above. Note the bags of (mulch) on the concreate railing (left-center) which supported the tree in a previous rotation step.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
The Division Street Palm is nearly clear of the concrete bridge railing in this image which reflects the strap attachments to the fork. Note the proximity of the adjacent light tower to the moving operations.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
Looking east on the Division Street overpass the Division Street Palm is completly supported by the forklift and strap attachments clear of obstacles.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
Robert Hafkesbring transports the Division Street Palm to an area southwest of the overpass. Robert's chartreuse safety vest and leg are visible in the cab of the fort lift amidst green fronds.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
A tree usually spends it's life at one point on the Earth. After many years of life and growth at the Arlington location seeing the tree being carried by the fork was surreal yet we were all filled with hope that life would go on for The Division Street Palm.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
Robert Hafkesbring manipulates the large forklift to lay the tree horizontally on the ground ln a clear area southwest of the Division Street overpass.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
The professionals from The Tree Place pause for a picture behind the trunk of The Division Street Palm.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
A large TXDOT loader with a fork attachment lifts the tree from the ground for placement in The Tree Place flat bed trailer and the trip to Carrollton.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place flatbed trailer was configured with a frame at the rear with a steel pipe horizontal member to keep the frond canopy from dragging on the road surface. In this image the TXDOT loader carefully lowers the tree on to the trailer.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
This image shows the Division Street Palm in The Tree Place flatbed trailer for the trip to Carrollton.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
This image shows how the massive weight of the tree bent the originally horizontal steel pipe on the rear support frame downward.
Arlington, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place workers secured the tree in the trailer and now buckeled in the Division Street Palm seems to say: "Farewell to Arlington; my home of many years."
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place workers transported the Division Street Palm to the Rosmeade Rainforest Aquatics Complex in Carrollton, Tx. The tree arrived safe and sound ready for planting in it's new home.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
Another view of The Division Street Palm in The Tree Place flatbed trailer. Note how the support frame, though bent, kept the frond canopy from dragging on the road surface. This was one of the many fine details incorporated into The Tree Place ingenious plan to move the tree.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
Tree Place workers had a planting hole dug and ready in the clay soil of Carrollton at the location selected by the Carrollton Parks Dept.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place staff, utilized a Bobcat, operated by Robert Hafkesbring, to manuever the Division Street Palm off the trailer and position the base of the tree in the planting hole for uprighting.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
The Bobcat positioned The Division Street Palm root ball adjacent to the planting hole in preparation for uprighting.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
The front end of the Bobcat lifts off the ground during the struggle to upright the tree. The strap to the left was pulled by a tug-of-war team while the Bobcat pushed to no avail.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
A number of Bobcat-strap-tree configurations all failed to upright the tree in the planting hole. The tree crashed to the ground several times during this phase creating anxiety in all present.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
After watching the failed uprighting attempts, Chad Hyde, a supervisor with the Carrollton Parks Dept. ordered a city loader which pulled eastward on a strap attached to the trunk while The Tree Place Bobcat pushed from the west finally settling the tree into place.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
The Division Street Palm positioned in the planting hole supported by the Tree Place Bobcat to the west and a strap connected to the Carrollton loader to the east.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
Tree Place workers filling the space in the planting hole with soil while the tree is supported by the Bobcat and loader.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place planned every detail including bracing for the tree to resist high winds and allow for root system development. The Tree Place poured concrete piers with embedded wood pieces which were nailed to one end of support wood braces positioned around the trunk.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
The trunk side of the braces were connected to wood blocks which protected the trunk from two steel straps that encircled the tree for support. It has been a long day for The Tree Place Staff and lights come on as night begins to fall.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
The Tree Place staff did a complete job including cleaning up the area and providing water and mulch to the newly replanted tree.
Carrollton, Texas 12/11/2009
A calm evening unfolds for the tree now alone at the new Carrollton home after a tulmultuous day. Thank you Tree Place for your compassion, generosity, and your ingenious, through, and professional work to save The Division Street Palm.