Development Application Part 2 - Environmental & Stormwater Management Plans · OPW11/0335

Matrix Projects (QLD)- Essence of Peregian, David Low Way Peregian Beach QI.D 4573       Page 9




        Photo No 8- showing the point where the major branch failure occurred on
        free No 6.


4       Discussions


4.1     VTA- Visual Tree Assessment
        All trees surveyed were assessed using Visual Tree Assessment (VTA). VTA
        is a method of assessing trees devised by Dr Claus Mattheck (1994 & 1999).
        This method is a continuation and addition to books on hazard evaluation by
        Matheny & Clark (1994) and Harris (1999 & 2004) that are used to assess
        both the health (biological) and structure (mechanical) of trees.

        VTA takes into account biological factors such as vitality (leaves, bark, twig
        growth etc), presence of fungi, old branches, wound occlusion or woundwood
        development and/or compartmentalisation, and other biological factors that
        contribute to tree growth. For example Tree No 5 is in poor health, obvious by
        the lack of foliage cover, increased amount of deadwood and poor growth.

        The second part of VTA deals with tree structure or the mechanical aspects of
        trees such as breakages (defect symptoms such as bulges or ribs, wounds,
        leaning that causes transverse cracks, bark cracks and other abnormal things)
        and wind throw (root buttresses, soil cracks, sail area, bottle butt etc). For
        example Tree No 6 has a previous failure of a major branch, where as Trees
        No 7 to 9 are riddled with the decay fungus Phellinus, therefore reducing
        structural integrity and useful life expectancy (part of the biological section of
        VTA as well).



Leaf and Limb Horticultural Consultancy©
Prepared by Samuel Cowie                                                      11th of June 2009