The Contractor shall provide all trees in accordance with the tree list and the labor and Services necessary to install said trees at various Somerset County Park Commission Sites as described in the specifications below and be completed by March 31, 2026. 1. Trees will be sited by the Forestry Coordinator. 2. The planting pit shall be dug such that the bottom of the root ball is resting on undisturbed soil, and the diameter of the pit shall be twice the diameter of the root ball. 3. Trees are to be planted with the top of the root ball 2” ABOVE grade depending on site. Root flares should be visible and not covered with soil or mulch. Remove or spread excess soil. 4. Any plastic twine is to be removed completely. Cut the rope collars and roll down the burlap. If wire baskets are used, remove all or at minimum the top third of wire basket. 5. Wrap trunks of shade trees with approved trunk wrap. 6. Stake shade trees with three (3) 2 by 2-inch, 6-foot hardwood stakes, installed at the edge of the ball and placed vertically. 7. Tie with approved arbor tree ties. 8. Install black rigid mesh approved deer protection. 9. Mulch with 4” of double shredded hardwood mulch extending out to dripline of tree, in donut shape not up against trunk. A separate payment will not be made for wood chip mulching associated with planting trees. All costs shall be included in the price for planting materials. 10. Branches broken during handling, as well as dead and crossing branches, must be removed at time of planting. 11. At the time of planting, all trees must be well watered (20 gal/tree minimum). Initial watering costs shall be included in the cost of planting materials. Additional watering shall be the responsibility of the owner. 12. All trees must be true to the specified species and cultivars listed. No substitutions will be allowed unless efforts to acquire listed trees from at least three nurseries have been documented and previously approved in writing by the Forestry Coordinator. Trees that are not true to specified species or cultivars will be rejected before or after planting. 13. All trees must meet the American Nursery & Landscape Association standards (ANSI Z60.1) Trees not meeting these standards or with trunk injuries will be rejected before or after planting. 14. The contractor is responsible for calling all utility mark outs before digging. 15. The warranty period for all planted trees shall be for two years. The warranty period begins at the date of final acceptance of the project by the Owner. Replace, without cost to Owner, and as soon as weather conditions permit, all dead trees not in vigorous, thriving condition, as determined by the Owner’s Representative during and at the end of Warranty Period. Plants shall be free of dead or dying branches and branch tips, and shall bear foliage of normal density, size, and color. Replacement shall closely match adjacent specimens of the same species and shall be subject to all requirements of this specification.
