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<br />Mr. Nicholson stated he didn't include the diameter because raw data includes a lot of <br />codes, and people are using them for windbreaks and natural barriers or fences. He stated <br />that it is real common to look at a lot where all the trees are on three sides. <br /> <br />Mr. Nicholson stated he considered the spatial arrangement of the trees on the lots. He <br />stated that one homeowner told him they kept buying the DNR packets with red pine. He <br />concluded this for the reason that people knew they were cheap, grew well, and provided <br />screening on a 2-5 acre lot. <br /> <br />Environmental Specialist Bacon stated the red pine were reminiscent of North Country <br />nostalgia. <br /> <br />Mr. Nicholson clarified that what he meant was that red pine are in such good shape and <br />do well here. He explained there are not many diseases, insects don't bother them, not <br />much fire, and little competition. <br /> <br />Chairperson McDilda concurred that care needs to be taken about how to use these types <br />of studies, noting that a portion of this study happened to be done on one lot which had <br />the potential to skew the results. <br /> <br />Mr. Nicholson stated that in selecting these lots, he purposely skipped some that had far <br />more. He stated there is an adjacent neighborhood that was almost completely wooded <br />with red pine. <br /> <br />Environmental Specialist Bacon clarified that it was the neighborhood to the east with <br />Scotch pine. <br /> <br />Board Member Bentz asked if they noticed how the wind breaks were spaced. He stated <br />that he didn't think the trees would be very healthy. <br /> <br />Mr. Nicholson stated they should be managed or thinned at some point. He stated that <br />almost all the pine trees needed to be thinned occasionally. He stated that would be <br />something of concern and something that the homeowners would need to think about but <br />the pines aren't that old yet. He stated that lots along 162nd Avenue were getting a little <br />old. <br /> <br />Coordinator Anderson asked Mr. Nicholson if he was surprised about the limited number <br />of green ash. He stated that green ash is overly utilized in urban settings. <br /> <br />Chairperson McDilda stated it would be interesting to know what the percentage of <br />buckthorn or amour maple in new developments is. <br /> <br />Environmental Specialist Bacon stated he was impressed that American elms persisted at <br />all because of the impact that Dutch Elm Disease has had. <br /> <br />Mr. Nicholson stated that he used to think that too when he went around the metro areas <br />and did inventories, but it is reminiscent of what happened to the chestnut out east. He <br /> <br />Environmental Policy Board/ December 4, 2006 <br />Page 5 of 19 <br />