Davey Resource Group Maintains Historic Trees At The Muny In St. Louis, MO

Municipal Theatre Association Of St. Louis

In 2017, DRG assessed a historic bur oak in The Muny's stage area, finding severe root decay. Collaboration with SWT Design and Environmental Design, Inc., led to the installation of silva cells and large trees. DRG later advised on general tree care, including EAB management and storm response.

Keeping The Muny Green

This project began in 2017 when The Muny—an 11,000-seat amphitheater and musical theater production company that is more than 100 years old—was planning stage renovations and wanted to preserve a historic bur oak in the stage area itself. Davey Resource Group, Inc. (DRG) was hired to assess the tree. The tree’s root system was severely decayed, so preserving the tree with a new stage around it would have been impossible. In collaboration with SWT Design and Environmental Design, Inc., DRG helped plan and coordinate the installation of silva cells and several large caliper trees in the new stage area. DRG monitored the health of the trees during establishment.

In 2022, the project evolved to include advising Muny staff on general tree care across the roughly 12 acres The Muny leases from the City of St. Louis, including emerald ash borer (EAB) management and treatments, tree pruning, and plant health care. These additional tree care measures were performed in partnership with Davey Residential/Commercial (RC) in a ONEDavey effort. The summer of 2023 brought a series of unusually destructive storms to the St. Louis region. Our team demonstrated swift response times to clean up debris and remove dangerous hangers in The Muny’s trees.

Boosting Public Safety

Trees are an essential part of The Muny experience. In addition to the stage area, the surrounding grounds have an abundance of trees, many of which are historic. Bringing theatergoers into outdoor spaces underneath these trees means a heightened level of awareness of risk. The Muny has demonstrated above-and-beyond attention to risk mitigation by adding Level 3 Aerial Risk Inspections to DRG’s contract in 2024. Partnering with skilled arborists from Davey RC, DRG performed Level 3 assessments on trees in the highest traffic sections of The Muny grounds to ensure a safe experience and give The Muny staff the confidence to preserve these historic trees as long as possible safely.

The Muny has demonstrated above and beyond attention to risk mitigation by adding Level 3 Aerial Risk Inspections to their contract with Davey Resource Group

Davey Resource Group helped plan and coordinate the installation of silva cells and several large caliper trees in the new stage area.

A historic oak tree on the property was severely decayed and could not be preserved.

Davey Resource Group monitored the health of several large trees during their establishment.

The Muny is an 11,000-seat amphitheater and musical theater production company that is more than 100 years old.

Davey Resource Group’s collaborators used tomography to help assess large trees on the property.

In 2022, the project expanded to include advice on general tree care throughout the Muny.

Level 3 Aerial Risk Inspections were performed on trees in high traffic areas of the Muny.

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