Did you know that trees must live with every injury they sustain to their woody components, forever? Trees do not regenerate tissues to “heal” injuries, they attempt to disconnect themselves from damaged areas, and apply new tissue nearby. A good arborist appreciates this, and works with the living system.
Would you pay a contractor to remove all your home’s siding to expose the woodwork, and leave it that way? How would this affect the structure of the house over time, or the value of the property? In essence, many people across the country unwittingly pay to have this done to their property daily. After all, the trees growing in our yard belong to us. Therefore, they are our property, and yes, they have value. This occurs for many reasons, namely the lack of understanding about trees and their proper care, as well as the lengthy separation between cause and effect.
One very common example:
The “Henderson” family decides to hire “Harry the Happy Tree Man’s Tree Service” to “thin out” the mature oak trees growing on their property. They did their homework, and “Harry” checks out: he had a good rating with the BBB, good references, and an excellent reputation in the community. Harry’s bid wasn’t the lowest, but nearly so.
Harry’s crew showed up on time, performed the work with seemingly proficient skill, and the trees looked decent (except for the marks from the spikes the climber used that would never “heal”).
Years later, the mature oaks are now losing large, seemingly “healthy” branches, and have become a danger to own (more than one has caused serious damage to their home and vehicles). Growing ever fearful for their property and children’s wellbeing, the Hendersons again turned to Harry to remove the dangerous trees.
This was a great and sad loss to the aesthetic value of the property. Additionally, the Hendersons noticed a 10 to 15 percent increase in their monthly energy expenses, and their landscape maintenance costs have increased substantially.
So, what happened?
The trees were over-pruned seven years prior. Harry the Happy Tree Man either did not realize the effect that the pruning would have, or simply did not care. He did what “looked” good, or perhaps, simply what the Hendersons requested, without any regard for tree health.
Why did the trees begin to fail?
In response to the excessive (improper) pruning, the tree’s branches grew longer and faster than the trees could add structural support (girth), due to altered physiology. (In tree risk assessment, we simply call this: poor branch taper.) In addition, the spikes used by the climber to gain entry to the tree caused numerous points of infection for wood decay fungi, which weakened structural support.
Could the trees have been saved?
Maybe with a lot of work, time could have been added to the trees’ lifespans. The truth is, we will never know. One thing is certain; we can’t ask Harry.
The Solution!
First, do not attempt to diagnose your own trees. In this case, the Hendersons felt it prudent to hire a tree company to “prune” their trees, simply because they’ve never had it done before. The Hendersons never obtained a second opinion (or a first one, for that matter) prior to soliciting for bids.
Please note: Although they do exist, there are few tree companies out there that will refuse to bid on a predefined project (even if it’s bad for the tree). It is not in the company’s immediate best interest to say, “that would be very bad for your tree” then walk away. Tree companies are in the business of performing tree services. If you already have, or encounter an arborist that is willing to tell you “no” then patiently explain why and what SHOULD be done, chances are they are attempting to act in your best interest. Hang on to them, they can be very rare indeed!
Second, do not attempt to gain valuable advice from a “free estimate.” Again, it is in the company’s best interest to sell you something, regardless of whether your trees need it or not. With smaller companies, you’ll be dealing with the owner (or his/her representative), who is trying to pay for employees, insurance, equipment, and turn enough profit to pay for his (or her) personal endeavors. With larger companies, you’ll be dealing with a commission-based salesperson. Think about it, without selling you something, mortgages aren’t paid, food remains absent from tables, and so on. In my opinion, it is simply not fair to the homeowner or the company to expect unbridled honesty and consultation from a “free estimate.”
Third, become an informed consumer. Websites like: http://www.treesaregood.com and http://www.mortonarb.org have a lot of information for tree owners who want to do what’s best for their trees.
Finally, if you think your trees need help, and just want to get an expert’s unbiased opinion, hire a Consulting Arborist. Often bringing decades of training and experience with the highest credentials in the industry to the table, Consulting Arborists are the “preeminent authorities on matters related to trees” (https://www.asca-consultants.org/what/index.cfm ). Their opinions are based upon up-to-the-minute science, and not how much any tree-work may be paying. Sound expensive? How does a $20,000 loss in property value, or a $2000 annual increase in energy and maintenance expenses sound?
