DUDEK - Lennar Relocates Trees at Great Park

Irvine, Lennar Tackle Nation’s Largest Tree Relocation Project
Lennar Corporation is playing an integral role in converting the former U.S. Marine Corps Air Station El Toro into one of the largest urban parks in history. Lennar, which bought the 4,000-acre air station property, donated approximately 1,400 to establish the Orange County Great Park in partnership with the City of Irvine, California.

Part of the effort to recreate and conserve the property’s natural resources is a $3 million tree relocation program, which will preserve more than 2,200 trees – the largest such effort in the nation. These are the remaining trees after taking inventory of the site’s 8,000 existing trees, assessing which are suitable for relocation, and developing a tree management plan to sustain the trees before and after relocation.

“The park will feature several environmentally-friendly components,” said Bob Santos, division president of Lennar’s Heritage Field Land Division. “The trees have such a rich history within the City of Irvine and the military base that we felt compelled to preserve this heritage.”

The 60-year-old pines, palms, peppers, jacarandas, and oaks cost between $10,000 and $40,000 each to move. Costs include surveying, moving, general care, and replanting. Moving the larger oaks and pines is proving to be difficult, as these 30+ foot species require cranes, road closures, and potential helicopter lifts.

“The design of Great Park is focused on conservation and sustainability,” said Tom Larson, Dudek’s principal registered arborist who is helping to define and design various park land uses and conservation strategies. “One way Lennar is promoting this initiative is by saving many of the land’s native trees.”

Identifying the trees appropriate for relocation involved:

Assessing each tree’s health and structural condition.
Ensuring trees do not interfere with structures such as water lines, power lines, or building foundations.
Coordinating with the landscape designers to verify the trees are compatible with their plans.

Trees not healthy enough to be relocated will be converted into compost for on-site use.

“This is by far one of the largest tree relocation efforts in history,” concluded Larson. “It makes sense from a conservation standpoint as well as a marketing standpoint in that preserving mature native trees can greatly enhance the property’s appeal and aesthetics.”

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