Ethics of trimming trees?

[art_vandelay]

'Ethics' are a personal decision.

However, you can see by reading the posts to this thread, you'd be wise to cover your ass and do things the 'right' way, by following the (established) process. Despite the fact this may be a public park, stakeholders often feel a sense of ownership disproportionate to their actual roles in the situation.

On the up side, you'll be graciously introduced into the wonderful world of DG politics...

I played the nooner at JB this summer while in the area and heard this exact thing. With a club as established as you have, with course captains, its disheartening that a "pro" would make rogue changes to the course to benefit their own game.

That made me laugh pretty hard. We're famous.

 

[retleftolc]

After a quick search, it looks like you are talking about Cabin Creek. Yes?

If so, then it is need of more than just a tree trim. The course map looks like an asterisk. I mean no ill will toward the designer, but it appears he was not very experienced in design. If there is ever a lot (3 groups would be enough) of traffic the course would be extremely dangerous.

I recommend approaching the designer and municipality about a redesign. You will like lose some length on the course, but it would make the course more attractive to play overall. There is likely an experienced designer close enough to consult with you on it. If you choose to do this, I can get a message out to the Disc Golf Designers groups and see who's in the area.

 

[ODRB]

All I see is a crappy warehouse in Secaucus, NJ that is 20 years past its point of condemnation.

Wow. What's it like having all the magic in the world be invisible to you?

http://5ptz.com/photos/

Ain't art something.

 

[ODRB]

All I see is a crappy warehouse in Secaucus, NJ that is 20 years past its point of condemnation.

Something tells me you find the obvious hyzer line every time you look at a hole. And then you stop looking.

 

[mrtho]

After a quick search, it looks like you are talking about Cabin Creek. Yes?

If so, then it is need of more than just a tree trim. The course map looks like an asterisk. I mean no ill will toward the designer, but it appears he was not very experienced in design. If there is ever a lot (3 groups would be enough) of traffic the course would be extremely dangerous.

I recommend approaching the designer and municipality about a redesign. You will like lose some length on the course, but it would make the course more attractive to play overall. There is likely an experienced designer close enough to consult with you on it. If you choose to do this, I can get a message out to the Disc Golf Designers groups and see who's in the area.

Yes it's cabin creek. It's not the best course but it is only a mile from my house. I don't think getting three or more groups out at once would be a problem because there is another course just a few minutes away that is 18 holes and is maintained much better. I rarely see anybody else out there and I'm there quite often

I don't see the city having any interest in a redesign because they won't take the effort to trim trees, replace the basket on 3 that patched together, or even put up signs marking which tee is which (1,3, and 5 are all close enough to be confusing).

I have taken my own time to walk the course moving larger limbs from the "fairways" and knocking other dangerous limbs out of trees. (Done this several times recently with the season changing)

I was just wanting to clear a couple of limbs that are about 1-1.5 inches thick and maybe 4 feet long that have grown down and blocked the alley on a double Mando (not the whole limb that is the size of a small tree), but looking at the replies here I think I'll ask the city first.

 

[art_vandelay]

I know it sounds like a pain especially for a course nobody seems to care about. But if you ask the right people and gain permission, you won't have to be looking over your shoulder to see who is going to get upset or come along and confront you.

 

[retleftolc]

mrtho, I doubt the city would be interested in doing the redesign either. I'm recommending you come up with the plan and get approval to get it done yourself.

It may be best to start with opening lines of communication about course maintenance. Lots of cities will welcome the help, so long as you follow protocol. Once a relationship is established you can approach the redesign down the road.

 

[donnyv]

Definitely don't go rogue. Seek permission first. I've done a few courses and own a private course. I've had a couple buddies help me out a few times without me there and some trees I wanted to keep were cut down by accident. They had good intentions but I wasn't too happy. Sometimes I would be debating on certain trees for months before I make final decision to keep or cut. Same goes with the parks I did. Gotta think years in advance on what it will look like

 

[eegor]

If the course is owned by the city or county, get in touch with the parks department and either get permission from them or ask them to do it for you. The city I live in insists on doing it with city workers and equipment. It's safer that way and it is, after all, city property and the responsibility of the parks department.

I suggest walking the course with a camera and a note pad so you can get it all done at once. This way you get a new start on the course as well as make the trip and setup worthwhile for the parks department.

 

[cheese dog]

We played the course in lamar almost every weekend in 2015 as part as our Saturday russ vegas trips . It needed a major trimming then. My advice to you is to never mention tree trimming on that course to anyone except the original course designer. trust me on this.

 

[sisyphus]

psst... any chance that we could follow the site recommendation to not use the same course names when possible? For a minute, I thought you were talking about CABIN CREEK! ...and trimming trees on someone's private course built for World's would be extremely uncool!

 

[JeremyKShort]

You have to get permission to cut the limb. That's pretty much the only thing I can say about it.

There may be a club that has permission to do maintenance. If the course is that new I'd imagine someone would be around. If not, then whoever runs the park is who you have to go to.

We have small courses in town. One is the city's and the other a university's. We don't have permission to do anything at the city park. A few members have tried maintenance and got run off by the police. We have permission to do most whatever we want at the university course. We can't take down entire trees, but trimming limbs is perfectly fine.

So it just depends.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

In a word no, which has been said so here's an anecdote..

When there's a work bee at our course people show up to get rid of specific stuff like that sometimes a vote is taken... my personal course is maybe the only one where you are allowed to clear as much stuff as you want before your shot, it's a throwback to when we created the course 8 years ago and it was ROUGH. A guy came up last Sunday with a saw and did a few nice touch ups but I would have been choked if he went wild!

Ironically the first ace on my course was hit just after a work party when they opened up a gap by removing one bushy limb.

Come tourney time I get a lot of free labour done, it's great... a lot of twiggy branch bashing mostly.

 

[bdodson]

What about not playing the double mando

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[adamtheviking5]

Now, Im an outlaw, not by choice but an outlaw none the less and all this talk about asking someone else for permission to cut a branch seems ridiculous to me. My contention is that nobody can own the earth or have authority over other human beings. What makes some park idiot better at making decisions about anything than me? All Im saying is don't let the man keep you down.

 

[eegor]

Looked up the courses around Lamar, AR. If it is Cabin Creek, that looks like a city park to me... baseball field and all. Definitely get permission. They would likely welcome your help and appreciate your participation in what looks like a really nice park. Not getting permission might prompt an unwanted investigation by some bored public officials. The risk/reward here says contact the city.

 

[Grippenripp]

Find out who's in charge of/owns/maintains the property, if you can't get something done ask for permission to volunteer your time to help maintain the course and get people on board to help you(usually you can find enough people ) over time you'll see that your help makes a big difference. If you can't find enough people on your own maybe see if you could get a local club/league to help assume the responsibility with you. (Clubs shouldn't to want to do this because it gives them purpose and helps legitimize the course also, which also gains recognition for the club and can tend to up membership). I usually use the leave it better than I found it theory when I'm on the course, picking up litter and such, when it comes to trimming trees altering fairways and things of this nature its best to go to the top and see what can be done.