Ah shure, we'll just move this 250 year old, 700,000lb Oak...

Rucking_Fetard

For as many as 250 years, a bur oak has been growing on what is now the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. The big tree stands in the way of an expansion of the Ross Business School.


But instead of cutting it down, the university is moving the tree. It's not easy, it's not cheap, and it's definitely not fast.


As it was prepared for its 500-foot trip down a pedestrian mall, the old oak's 44-foot diameter root ball was wrapped in plastic and burlap and rested on long pipes, inserted earlier this summer to create a platform for lifting.

http://www.npr.org/2014/10/26/358965309/lifted-on-giant-inner-tubes-an-old-tree-moves-in-michigan

kay 9

Fair play. They move houses regularly over there too. Much more awkward than a tree.

timfromtang

I must concur with the visiting forester mentioned in the article, a purchase of 120 acres of forested land would have been a better legacy, planting up a new 120 acres also would have been superior imho, murricans and their ways who can fathom them?
Very impressive though to be able to move such a large old tree
tim

Oldtree

going to need a serious amount of aftercare too, so up that to 150 acres (imo) of forested land by the time its done and dusted.