This report was commissioned by the City Arborist, Park Department, Dunedin City Council to assess the condition of one park tree located adjacent to Otago Museum.
The tree located within the Otago Museum-Reserve, approximately 2 ha in area, northeast of Dunedin city centre. The reserve boundaries formed by a mixture of mature oak, sycamore, lime, and ash trees with a series of internal connecting footpaths. The site and gardens receive formal management, observable with well-maintained lawns, pristine borders, and gardens. The topography arrangement of natural and artificial physical features forms an essential aspect of the composition and function of this unique green island within the city environment.
The subject tree, small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) has become an issue of concern, notably fungal brackets (Ganoderma australe / applantum) to the northeast aspect of the subject tree, the tree’s proximity to the surrounding infrastructure, and the associated risk of harm if the tree was to failure.
Further analysis was conducted using the PiCUS Sonic Tomography and ILM-micro-drill to determine the extent, to which, ingress into the main stem of altered wood properties resulting from degradation by decay organisms.