Health and
structural integrity are not one and the same - trees can have a full, healthy canopy and at the same time be ready to fall
apart. Even small limbs can do serious damage when falling from high above.
Remember, your trees are your responsibility.
Failure to act in a diligent manner makes you liable for any damage that a hazardous tree may cause.
Our arborists
are skilled in recognizing the signs of a weak tree and can recommend pruning or bracing, or removal, to prevent the dangers
of tree failure. We are one of the few in the state to own a Resistograph®, a specialized instrument to help detect internal
decay and other defects.
Hazardous Tree Assessment
Below is a
quick reference to evaluating hazard trees. Although this is not all inclusive, it gives an idea of what arborists check for
when predicting tree failure. When in doubt as to the extent of internal decay, advanced testing techniques and equipment
may be needed.
• The presence of dead
roots increases the potential for failure. Often trees can survive with only a portion of their
root system operational but their structural stability is compromised.
• It is important
to know that trees do not repair injuries. They use a process referred to as compartmentalization
of decay in trees (CODIT) and simply respond to wounds by "plugging" the upper and lower vascular elements
to limit the spread of infection or disease. What this means in evaluating trees for hazards is that trees compile
injuries over time and as disease or decay set in it can create structural problems.
• It is ALWAYS less costly to have a hazardous tree removed prior to a failure.
Waiting until it's too late not
only puts people and property in danger,
but every tree company charges more for "emergency" tree removal
than for a scheduled tree removal.
• Hazardous trees pose a very real liability in this day and age. Failure
to perform periodic inspections for
hazardous trees can be classified as
negligence and in the event of an injury or property damage, litigation will
likely follow. Consulting with a Certified Arborist whenever there is a doubt about a tree's failure potential could
help alleviate that risk.
