It is that time of the year when storms in all shapes and forms are ready to create havoc throughout the country. A big loss is of the tree itself, which was the pride of your garden. One of the greatest dangers posed by storms are presented by trees. Unsafe trees are a threat to lives and property.
Preparing trees for these natural disasters is a must and should be done well in advance of the stormy season. To help ease these dangers, have a professional evaluate your trees. Doing this will help you determine potential weaknesses and dangers.
Over the years, growing trees will “catch” more wind and become heavier, so they are prone to increase mechanical stresses, thus increasing the chances of failure. Larger trees will also affect an increased area should they or their limbs fall. This means that power lines, homes and other structures that might not have been threatened a few years ago, might suddenly be under threat by a tree that has grown.
What can you do?
* * *Consult a Tree Care Professional: Ask them to evaluate problems you have found and prioritize treatment. You should also ask them to look for signs of potential hazards, such as stress cracks, weak branches and other subtle or hidden indicators of potential hazards.
Look at your trees for the following warning signs:
- Wires in contact with tree branches. Trees may become energized when they are contacted by electric wires.
- Dead or partially attached limbs hung up in the higher branches that could fall and cause damage or injury.
- Cracked stems and branches forks that could cause catastrophic failure of a tree section.
- Hollow or decaying areas on the trunk or main limbs, or mushrooms growing from the bark that indicate a decayed and weakened stem.
- Peeling bark or gaping wounds in the trunk, also indicated structural weakness.
- Fallen or uprooted trees putting pressure on other trees beneath them.
- Tight, V-shaped forks which are much more prone to failure than open U-shaped ones.
- Heaving soil at the tree base, is a potential indicator of an unsound root system.
Remember, too, that a tree is a living thing, and its integrity and stability changes over time, so don’t assume that a tree that has survived 10 severe storms will necessarily survive an eleventh.
If you are unsure about your tree’s health, call Urban Forest Tree Care, Inc. and one of our trained consultants will identify and remove hazards as well as treat the causes of tree health problems