An arborist with The Outdoor Circle will survey trees along H-2 Freeway that are targeted for removal.

The state Department of Transportation last week said it had suspended its H-2 tree removal project until officials met with The Outdoor Circle, which has said the project generated more complaints than any tree-cutting effort in years.

As a result of yesterday's meeting, The Outdoor Circle and the Transportation Department will each send their own arborist to look at the remaining trees slated to be removed. That will likely happen before the end of the week, said Bob Loy, The Outdoor Circle's director of environmental programs. In the meantime, any tree removal work will continue to be on hold.

"We understand The Outdoor Circle's concern that they want to make sure the right trees are brought down for the right reason," DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa said. "So we will go out with our arborist and theirs to make sure of that."

Loy said The Outdoor Circle will assess whether the trees present any type of safety hazard and whether at least some may need to be pruned rather than removed.

"If they do present a safety hazard, The Outdoor Circle will not have a problem with either the removal or the pruning back so there is no hazard," he said.

The Transportation Department has removed or pruned close to 70 trees since June, Ishikawa said. He has said the department's in-house and contracted certified arborists inspected the trees, nearly all non-native albizzia, and that they posed a safety hazard for drivers. Ishikawa said the trees will be replaced with sturdier native trees by the end of the year.

But The Outdoor Circle questioned whether all the trees targeted for removal were hazards and needed to be cut down.

"We are not opposed to anything that they're doing as long as it's necessary," Loy said. "But we are opposed to ... being told these things are necessary without substantiating the claim. This is the first step in the direction of getting their claims substantiated or not."

According to a report by the Transportation Department's contracted arborist, 140 trees were surveyed along H-2 Freeway. The arborist recommended the removal of 107 trees and the pruning of 33 trees.

Ishikawa added that the department will notify The Outdoor Circle about any future tree projects "of this magnitude" and that it is asking for the organization's input regarding trees in poor health along H-3 Freeway, and the Likelike and Pali highways.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.