A campaign to clear hundreds of dead and dying trees at the Grand Traverse Commons could begin by the end of the year.

A hazardous tree inventory report prepared by arborist Daniel Schillinger of Schillinger Forestry will guide the tree removal, which is expected to take two or more years.

“The sole purpose of this project is to protect the safety of park users and to improve the health of the forest,” says Garfield Township Deputy Planner Brian VanDenBrand. “The trees targeted for removal are in poor health and along the designated trails. As the tree removal companies are in there, we will need to close trails from time to time. Users should expect to experience ‘Trail Closed’ signs, tape and volunteers at trailheads and intersections while the contractor is out there.”

Schillinger inspected trees on 240 acres of public property north and west of the historic Barns Park. He determined that 383 trees need to be removed and 50 others need to be pruned. Among the trees slated for removal are white oak, red and white maples, basswood, ash, willow, beech, cottonwood, hemlock, cedar, walnut, box elder, apple, red oak, white ash and aspen.

Garfield Township has budgeted $30,000 for the project from its park fund.

Bids for tree removal service will go out soon and the start of removal will depend on the schedule of the winning bidder. “We expect to contract a year long cutting window to give the tree removal company flexibility and offer us a good price in their bid,” adds VanDenBrand. “Once this contract is up, we will likely enter (into) a new one and continue cutting activities into 2016.”

The work will begin with the Garfield Trail, which runs between the Greenspire School and the trailhead on West Long Lake Road. Once that is done, work will move to other trails as the budget allows. Foresters plan to drop the trees and trim the limbs so the trunks are in contact with the ground to promote quick decay. Stumps will be cut flush to the ground.

“It might be ugly out there for a few years,” notes VanDenBrand. “We also plan to work with a group such as SEEDS to harvest as much for firewood as they can (for needy families). Unfortunately we can’t offer it up to everyone off the street to come and remove firewood for themselves. The alternative to our strategy would be to have the contractor chip and remove every bit of a downed tree, which would not be cost effective for a project of this scope.”

According to Schillinger’s report, the majority of trees in the natural area are part of the original turn of the century northern hardwood forest.

“The south end of this natural area has many red oak trees present,” says the report. “Red oak trees are very prone to get Oak Wilt Disease. This disease is capable of killing a mature red oak tree inside of two weeks. This disease is rampant across the county and needs to be diligently avoided on this property. Therefore, any pruning, tree removal or machine work done near oak trees when the leaves are on the trees or are about to come out is strictly prohibited to inhibit the spread of the oak wilt disease.”

The study also notes that Emerald Ash Borer has killed most of the ash trees on this property. That insect can kill any type of ash tree fairly quickly and most of the ash trees appear to be heavily infected or dead.