For many years, drivers in Kyle, Texas, have slowed down to see a famous local landmark: a huge live oak that leans close to Old Stagecoach Road. This tree, which has been nicknamed Jolene but is more formerly known as the Old Stagecoach Heritage Oak, has been growing for an incredible 400 years. The trunk is more than 4 feet wide and sits just a 1/2-foot away from the pavement. Its longstanding presence in the town has made it a well-known symbol.
In 2022, the Old Stagecoach Road upon which the tree sits was agreed upon by city leaders to be widened to make the road safer. The caveat was that the tree had to go. That was to be the case until the town came together to protest its removal. Now, officials have decided to preserve what is a historic memoir of the town and are undertaking a massive project to safely transport it nearby.
In the fall, the oak tree will be dug up and moved to a small city park about a quarter mile north that was made just for it. Environmental Design, Inc. (EDI), a Texas company that specializes in moving enormous trees, has been put to the task for nearly a million dollars. The project will require some pretty high-tech equipment you probably didn’t know existed, making this a rare mix of civil engineering, culture, and a love for the environment.
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Moving a million pounds of history
Workers using a hydraulic tree spade for a tree transplant – Ahanov Michael/Shutterstock
Environmental Design’s crews will not rely on cranes or simple excavation tools; this kind of job isn’t fit for even the best Ryobi chainsaws. Instead, they will use their patented ArborLift system, a technology created to move huge trees with as little damage as possible. The process starts with a steel platform that is placed beneath the tree’s root system. Thereafter, a network of pneumatic bladders, or large inflatable cushions, is then used to gently raise the platform.
The bladders are inflated through precise and carefully controlled bursts, allowing the team to lift the tree evenly and prevent the root ball from cracking under its own weight. Once the old oak tree is stable and secured, it will be slowly rolled across the ground onto a trailer that will take it to its new home. The system spreads out the pressure so effectively that the tree can be moved across turf or pavement without harming the soil or the roots.
EDI operates some of the largest hydraulic tree spades in the world, but the ArborLift method offers a safer and more precise approach. The system has been used on projects involving trees that weigh more than one million pounds, including historic estates and universities. For the Kyle project, the company will also manage a two-year recovery plan to monitor soil conditions, moisture levels, and root growth. Every step, from excavation to aftercare, has been mapped in detail by engineers and arborists working together.
City growth meets environmental ingenuity
The Old Stagecoach Heritage Oak tree pictured from across the road with protestors trying to protect it. – KXAN/ YouTube
The decision to move the Old Stagecoach Oak came after years of debate. Some city reports once suggested that the tree might not survive relocation, while others found it to be healthy enough to attempt the move. Community members organized public meetings and demonstrations to protect what they viewed as part of Kyle’s identity. Eventually, the City Council voted six to one in favor of relocation instead of removal.
The oak will soon be in a new pocket park that landscape architects Asakura Robinson are designing. The park will be both a safe place and a landmark for the community, so people can visit the tree without putting it in danger again. The total cost, which includes moving the park, fixing the roads, and building the park, could be around $1.6 million. Most of the money will come from developer fees and city bond funds.
For the city of Kyle and its residents, the project runs far deeper than just an infrastructure upgrade. If the relocation succeeds, it will be up there as one of the most interesting infrastructure projects in the state, next to things like Texas’ strangely high overpasses. Jolene is an iconic part of the city’s history, and this was an ingenious demonstration of how cities can grow responsibly while still preserving pieces of their past. It’s a working example of how modern technology can work in harmony with nature and not against it.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
