Fred Grim: Arborist Extraordinaire Saves UH's Historic Bunya Tree

Meet Fred Grim, the arborist extraordinaire! A few years back, he received a call to save the Bunya tree on the corner of Maryland Street and Meade Avenue. He arrived on the scene and discovered a tree in distress. The majestic tree was at least 100 feet high and more than 100 years old. He had deep respect for these ancient trees, described as “living fossils,” that have existed for thousands of years and are native to Queensland, Australia. A construction crew working on the property had cut too many branches, and the branches that were left had sucking insects (aphids and mealybugs) on them. 

As a certified arborist working for a local San Diego company called The Forestry Group since 2011, Fred knew that this Bunya tree was in serious danger. The insects sucked the sap from the tree which contained nutrients the tree needed to survive, and they spread sooty mold with their sticky honeydew excretion, thereby stifling the photosynthesis process. Grim quickly diagnosed the problem and consulted his co-worker to devise a treatment plan. Together they injected an environmentally friendly compound into the ground at the tree roots so that it would be absorbed throughout the tree. Once it was absorbed, the hope was it would control the bugs that were sucking out the sap. The plan worked, and the tree is now thriving.

The Forestry Group is dedicated to the care of trees, and for Grim it has provided the perfect later-in-life career to nourish his passion for trees. All of us who live and work in University Heights are thankful to have people who are devoted to saving and caring for the trees in our neighborhood.