Trees get a second look
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

R.E.S. Company employees Eric Broadersen with the chainsaw and Charles Gruber remove an October storm-damaged tree at Queen Place and South Forest Road. The company, contracted by Erie County, will be removing 1,063 hazardous trees in Amherst during the next two weeks. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

The Town of Amherst has chosen its arborist.

Bill Snyder, an Amherst resident, was hired during a special meeting on Monday to re-evaluate approximately 10 percent of the trees damaged in the October storm.

Highway Superintendent Bob Anderson said this review is being done without any consideration for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding nor the deadline. That means Snyder will decide what trees may survive if given a chance and which will, in fact, perish.

After Davvy Trees released its report of the storm-damaged trees, the Town Board decided that 1,063 were an actual hazard and hired a contractor through Erie County to remove those trees.

Work began last week on those trees. As of Monday, more than 300 were down, and work was expected to be completed in two weeks.

That cost is eligible for FEMA reimbursement.

Of the remaining trees in Davvy's report, Snyder will review a sampling of approximately 700 trees, 10 percent, that were ranked in the moderately damaged and poor-condition categories.

"We are trying to save as many trees as we can with a second look and with FEMA reimbursement (consideration) out," Anderson said. "(Snyder) will look at which can survive."

Snyder is a registered certified arborist in Amherst. He was a member of the tree committee formed by Anderson following the storm.

His contract is for three weeks, at $85 per hour.

He will review Amherst as divided into four quadrants, with focus on the highest damaged areas of Eggertsville and Snyder.

Snyder's response to the request for qualifications was one of five received from 22 companies considered by the town. One company replied to say it couldn't handle the work, one charged $41,900, another was not a registered certified arborist and the other couldn't start immediately.

In addition to seeking a registered certified arborist, the town wanted someone who had litigation experience, which Snyder does.

Anderson said Snyder was expected to start the end of this week, assuming the contract was agreeable.

He added that he is hoping by starting immediately any tree that Snyder marks for removal can be removed by the crews already in town cutting down the first 1,063 trees. Anderson said the cost per tree is an excellent deal, ranging from $150 to $350, based on size.

Snyder is the owner of William Snyder Consulting Arborist and has been an arborist for 30 years. He is one of 300 arborists in the country registered by the American Society of Consulting Arborists.

He said by living in Amherst he is familiar with what has been developing since the storm and said it hurts him to see the trees like this.

"I am in the tree-saving business, not the removing business. The idea is to save the trees, but there are times they are so damaged that they have to be removed because they become hazardous," he said.

He added that he wants to give the Town Board data to answer its questions about how to move forward. Different from the Davvy report, Snyder's consideration is not based on FEMA requirements.

He will also be offering ideas on how to save trees, by trimming or another method, instead of completely removing them.