 Trees provide significant benefits to our homes and cities, but when trees fall and injure people or damage property, they become liabilities. Taking care of tree hazards makes your property safer and prolongs the life of the tree. It is an owner’s responsibility to provide for the safety of trees on his/ her property. However, evaluating the seriousness of these defects is best done by a professional arborist. Regular tree care will help identify hazardous trees and the risk they present. Once the hazard is recognized, steps may be taken to reduce the likelihood of the tree failing and injuring someone or damaging property.
Tree Hazard Checklist
- Are there large dead branches in the tree?
- Are there detached branches hanging in the tree?
- Does the tree have cavities or rotten wood along the trunk or in major branches?
- Are mushrooms present at the base of the tree?
- Are there cracks or splits in the trunk or where branches are attached?
 Have any branches fallen from the tree?- Have adjacent trees fallen over or died?
- Has the trunk developed a strong lean?
- Do many of the major branches arise from one point on the trunk?
- Have the roots been broken off, injured, or damaged by lowering the soil level, installing pavement, repairing sidewalks, or digging?
- Has the site recently been changed by construction, raising the soil level or installing lawns?
- Have the leaves prematurely developed an unusual color or size?
- Have trees in adjacent wooded areas been removed?
- Has the tree been topped or otherwise heavily pruned?
Managing Tree Hazards
A n arborist can help you manage the trees on your property and can provide treatments that may help make your tree safer, reducing risks associated with hazardous trees. An arborist familiar with hazardous tree evaluation may suggest one or more of the following:
- Remove the target. While we can’t move a home or a nearby powerline, we can sometimes move picnic tables, cars, landscape to prevent them from being hit by a falling tree.
- Prune the tree. Remove the defective branches of the tree. Since inappropriate pruning may also weaken a tree, it is best done by a Certified Arborist.
- Cable and brace the tree. Provide physical support for weak branches and stems to increase their strength and stability.
- Provide routine care. Mature trees need routine care in the form of water, fertilizer (in some cases), mulch, and pruning as needed depending upon season and their structure.
- Remove the tree. Some hazardous trees are best removed. If possible, plant a new tree in an appropriate place as a replacement.
 Please use this link to your 10% Off Coupon for any tree project including, tree removal, pruning, cabling, and stump grinding. This coupon is good through March 31, 2007, so please call 901-309-6779 to schedule a consultation with a certified arborist today.
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