Baranoff Oak Preservation Project Considered a Success

Preserving trees is a job that can be rewarding in the long run, but it has one major drawback: You don't know if the results are successful until many months and even years after the work is completed.

That's the situation the arborists who worked on a project in Safety Harbor this week were faced with, as they tried to extend the life cycle of the beloved Baranoff oak located downtown.

But according to Joe Samnik, an expert in the field who has been fighting to protect trees for more than 45 years, the Baranoff project went as smoothly as he could've hope for.

"Everything went great, just like clockwork," Samnik said from the site on Wednesday. "It went as well as, or even better, than we expected."

"I usually allow for an extra day on a project to account for any delays or setbacks, but with this job, we had none."

Samnik and his partner in the project, local arborist Alan Mayberry, along with a team of professionals, concluded the elaborate rejuvenation effort a day earlier than planned.

The work included the pruning of dead limbs, adding a lightning protection system, installing a new irrigation system and covering the entire enclosed area around the 300-year-old tree with new soil and pine straw.

Samnik said the results of the work might not been known for years, but he and Mayberry will be making regular trips to the area to check on the health of the tree, thought to be the oldest live oak in Pinellas County.

"Once a month we will come and monitor its progress, taking soil samples and other measurements, for the next two years," he said. "It's a long process."

Samnik's daughter, Michelle Padgett, said they were extremely grateful to the city, residents and businesses who supported them over the course of the three-day project.

"The mayor came by and visited, a number of residents stopped by and showed their support, and many businesses helped out by donating items, including Crispers, Starbucks, Brady's, Dominick's and Publix," she said.

"The entire city was extremely cooperative," Samnik added. "We couldn't be more thankful for their support."

Check out the video clip above to hear what Joe Samnik had to say about the Baranoff oak preservation project.

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