As used in this Part 9, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
CALIPER
A measure of diameter of nursery stock tree trunk taken six
inches above the ground.
CLEAR-CUTTING
The removal of 30% or more of the trees within woodlands
on a lot.
DBH
Diameter at breast height; a measure of trunk diameter in
inches, taken at 4 1/2 feet above the natural ground line. DBH
measurement is applied to existing trees (compared to caliper used
for nursery stock).
EVERGREEN TREE
A woody plant capable of reaching a minimum mature height
of 20 feet with persistent foliage, resulting in a year-round (evergreen)
foliage screening capacity.
HAZARD TREE
A tree with uncorrectable defects severe enough to pose present
danger to people or buildings under normal conditions, as determined
by the Township Landscape Architect.
HERITAGE TREE
A specifically selected tree, identified and considered worthy
of preservation by the Township because of the species, size, rarity
or historical importance, or having a DBH greater than 40 inches or
an age greater than 75 years, whether located on private property
or public property.
LAND DISTURBANCE
An activity involving grading, tilling, digging or filling
of ground or stripping of vegetation or any other activity that causes
an alteration to the natural condition of the land.
NATURAL RESOURCES PLAN
A plan which shall accompany an application for an earth
disturbance permit, grading permit, demolition permit, building permit,
subdivision, land development or zoning change application. The natural
resources plan shall contain existing and proposed buildings and structures,
driveways and parking areas, drainage structures, water detention/retention
areas, utilities, construction material staging area and all limits
of grading. The natural resources plan shall denote each tree to be
saved or removed, the location of the tree protection fencing and
the proposed schedule of replacement trees, natural steep slopes,
man-made steep slopes, wetlands, watercourses, and floodplain, and
shall include a Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory (PNDI).
PRESERVED TREE
A preserved tree is any tree that is to be properly protected
and not destroyed or injured during construction as required by this
Part 9.
REMOVED TREE
A removed tree is any tree that is destroyed, injured or
otherwise not protected according to the provisions of this Part 9.
REPLACEMENT TREE
A tree required to be planted per this Part 9 to compensate
for the removal or damage of existing trees on a site.
ROOT PROTECTION ZONE
Area within a tree's temporary protection fencing and maintained
throughout the entire period of construction. Protective fencing shall
be placed at a horizontal distance from the trunk of one foot for
every one inch of DBH (diameter at breast height) or to the outer
edge of the dripline, whichever is greater.
SHADE TREE
A woody plant that has a minimum three-inch DBH, at least
14 feet high with a minimum eight-foot canopy spread, and a full branching
structure.
SHRUB
A woody plant, usually with multiple stems, each of which
has a DBH of less than three inches. Shrubs are generally less than
20 feet in height at maturity.
WOODLAND
Any area, grove or stand of woody plants, evergreen or deciduous,
covering 10,000 square feet of foliage area or greater, dominated
by four-inch to six-inch caliper trees or larger with crowns that
interlock to form sixty-percent to one-hundred-percent closed canopy.
All portions of the contiguous canopy area and layered vegetation
beneath it shall be woodland whether located on a single lot or portions
of other lots. For the purposes of this Part 9, the extent of any
woodland plant community or any part thereof shall be measured from
the outermost dripline of all the trees in the community. Woodlands
shall include any area where woodland disturbance has occurred within
the previous three years which would have met the definition of woodland
prior to timbering or disturbance.