Man Is Crushed By Rotting Tree In University Arboretum

Case Overview

This case involves a man that was crushed by a live oak tree branch in South Carolina. The man was walking through a field at a large university-owned arboretum. According to the university, the trees in this area of the campus had been checked within the past 3 months. As the man was standing underneath the live oak tree in question, a large branch broke off and pinned him to the ground. The man suffered massive internal bleeding from the impact. It was alleged that the tree had been rotting for a long time and was not being properly maintained. An expert in forestry was sought to opine on the condition of the tree and proper industry maintenance practices.

Questions to the Agriculture expert and their responses

Please describe your experience in tree maintenance and urban forestry.

This expert has been an urban forestry consultant and arborist for 30+ years. He received his bachelor's in forest resources and his master's in urban forestry. He is an internationally board-certified master arborist and instructor for tree risk assessment qualification. My firm has assessed and inventoried 1.5 million+ trees and I have evaluated hundreds of species of trees specifically for risk. I have seen a case involving a large branch that fell on a subcontractor working on a residential home construction site. He has overseen projects across North America, South America, and Europe and presents internationally on topics of tree risk and urban forestry policy development. This expert has served as a regional urban forester for a state department of conservation, a superintendent of parks, and currently serves as president and owner of an urban forestry consultancy.

About the expert

This expert has been a consulting urban forestry expert for over 30 years, as well as an arborist. He has overseen projects across North and South America and Europe. He received his BS in Forest Resources from the University of Montana and his MS in Urban Forestry from the University of Wisconsin. Mark is an International Society of Arboriculture Board-Certified Master Arborist and instructor for the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification. He presents internationally on topics of tree risk and urban forestry policy development. He has had clients such as the U.S. National Park Services, the US Forest Service, among other local and international municipalities. He was a former Regional Urban Forester at the Illinois Department of Conservation, a Superintendent of Parks, Urban Forestry Coordinator in the Montana Department of State Lands and is currently serving as President and Owner at an urban forestry consultancy.