Recognizing Tree Risks
Trees offer terrific benefits to your homes and cities, but
when trees fall and damage property or people they are liabilities. When
understand the risks associated with trees on your property you can reduce the
risks and make your property safer.
An arborist or tree care professional can help you manage
and care for the trees on your property and provide treatments that can you to reduce
the risk that are associated with specific trees. An arborist that is familiar
with tree risk assessment might suggest one or more of the following:
- Provide routine care for your trees. Mature trees routine care includes nutrients, water, mulch, and pruning as dictated by the season and their structure.
- Remove branches of the tree. Inappropriate pruning can cause the tree to weaken. The work of pruning is best carried out by a certified arborist.
- Remove the target. You cannot move a house or power lines that are nearby, but it is possible to move cars, picnic tables, landscape features, and other items to stop them from being hit by a tree falling.
- Remove any defective cables and brace the tree. Ensure that you provide physical support for any branches that are weak and to stems that need their strength and stability increased. These supports are no guarantees against failure but they certainly reduce the risk significantly.
- Remove any tree that is a danger. Some trees will have an unacceptable level of risk associated with them and so these trees are best removed. If you can, plant another tree that’s appropriate for the space that’s what you should do.
Look for dead tree branches or tree branches that are
detached or not properly attached. Look for rotting branches or cavities in the
branches, cracks and splits in the truck, any adjacent trees that have died,
any broken or damaged roots, etc. that would indicate there is a tree that
could be a potential risk.