USA Cycling hired Patrick Wentworth as a consulting arborist to study the impact the 2015 Cyclocross National Championships had at Zilker Park in Austin. The report is now complete, and has been released to the public (see below).
Gage Hecht (Alpha Bicycle Co – Vista Subaru) tore through the Junior field but did not impact the trees, says USA Cycling’s report. © Brian Nelson
Wentworth’s report largely disputes the city’s assertion that more than 50 trees were negatively impacted, and questions the city’s recommended approaches to restoring the soil and assisting the trees.
The main testing method to verify the impact of the race was a soil probe to measure soil compaction, with measurements under 200 psi considered acceptable. Most measurements were between 100 and 150 psi.
The full report is below.
The Austin American Statesmen’s website has further reporting on this ongoing issue and conflicting arborist opinions. Also, don’t miss the op-ed on what we learned from Austin, and how promoters can avoid such fiascos, penned by arborist and cyclocrosser Robert Brudenell, in Issue 28.
