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Home & Garden Articles
When Should I Call in a Professional Tree Surgeon?
Wed 22 Jul 2009 - 14:29
When Should I Call in a Professional Tree Surgeon?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Birchall]Kevin Birchall
There are times when we all need to call in the professionals. When a water-pipe bursts or the tiles blow off the roof we grab the phone and dial the local plumber or roofer to repair the damage, but when it comes to trees, an emergency call-out may already be too late. At the planning stages of new development, the services of consultants from many professional fields are utilised, but arboriculturalists are frequently excluded. So when is the right time to call in the professionals and who will be able to give the advice that is sought?
Within the arboricultural sector it may be simplest to separate professionals into Consulting Arboriculturalists and Professional Arborists. The latter would be responsible for carrying out 'tree-surgery', but this may be an over-simplification as many arborists would be qualified consultants and possibly experts in certain fields. Each has an essential role to play in maintaining the health and safety of our tree population and more often than not work together to achieve this end.
It would be my advice to anyone requiring legal advice or detailed tree-inspection to utilise the services of a qualified consultant or registered consulting arborist. They will be able to carry out visual, internal and even cellular examinations of trees in a systematic and quantitative manner with a range of decay detection techniques and devices. Many consultants will also be happy to provide sound, expert advice on almost anything tree-related. It may well be on the advice of a consultant that you choose to engage the services of a professional arborist, whose role will be to carry out the tree-works recommended within a tree-survey for instance.
In many cases, the services of a consultant may not be required. If a tree must be removed or a clear decision has been made on the nature of tree work to be carried out, then the services of a professional arborist will suffice. During periods of bad weather, it is often the emergency services of contractors that are needed more than anything else.
Obvious, potential hazards alert the concerns of anyone who owns or lives in the vicinity of trees, but some signs are not so noticeable to the untrained eye. The following list contains some of the common tree defects and risky situations to look out for and will hopefully help to avoid DIY injuries and weighty insurance claims. The simplest advice is, if in doubt, call a professional.
-Cracks developing in the soil around the roots of trees or roots lifting out of the ground. This may be more noticeable in high winds and could indicate an unstable root system. Recent soil disturbance in the area around the tree could be to blame. Always protect the rooting area to at least the crown spread (dripline) and further if possible.
-Areas of persistent water-logging within the dripline. Immediate advice may be required to prevent long term damage to roots and stability problems.
-Fungal fruiting bodies or brackets growing out of the soil adjacent to trees or out of the stem, old pruning wounds, branches or having fallen from parts of the tree. Some fungi have very obvious and large, perennial fruiting bodies attached to the host tree but some of the more dangerous pathogens may not appear to be anything serious. Kreztchmeria deusta for example appears in one form as a black crusty coating at the base of Beech, Sycamore and Horse Chestnut and can easily be confused with a paint or tarmac splatter.
-Open cavities, water-filled holes or cracks developing in the bark of stems and limbs. These defects can often appear to be unchanged for many years, but should be regularly inspected to assess the extent and rate of possible decay.
-Areas of rapid swelling, causing the bark to ripple or flake off. This may happen over a period of months or years but these areas would be noticeably different from the normal bark pattern. Bulges, lumps and bumps often indicate areas where the tree is compensating for structural weakness and more serious underlying problems.
-Anything that looks like it may cause damage to adjacent property, pedestrians or vehicles such as broken, hanging and dead branches.
-Dead trees. I have heard of several instances of dead trees being left for many years in the belief that they may come back to life. This is highly unlikely! Trees may die at the beginning of autumn and already be quite dangerous before it is noticed that they have not come into leaf in the spring. Dry branches and areas of missing bark in the crown may indicate that the tree has died, when lack of foliage is not an obvious sign.
-Sticky or unusual exudations from the stem of trees may indicate pathogenic infection or areas of necrosis under the bark. In recent months, areas of 'bleeding' have been noticed on Horse Chestnut trees all over Europe. In most cases this is the result of attack by a species specific variety of a canker causing pathogen called Pseudomonas syringae.
-Tight or 'V'-shaped unions between limbs and stems or between two co-dominant stems. These unions may be weak due to growth of bark within the join or may form a point of compression. Two co-dominant stems may eventually push each other apart, leading to the collapse of one of them.
-Trees over-hanging or in contact with telephone or electricity wires. The ESB may also have to be contacted if there is a risk of electrocution. Professional advice must be sought as soon as possible if trees are in contact with electricity wires as the moist, inner parts of the timber will conduct electricity.
-Evidence of incorrect or over-pruning in the past. Heavy, vertical re-growth of branches can very rapidly pose an increased risk to nearby property due to weak attachment and decay at the growth point. 'Topping' of trees is a non-professional technique with serious physiological consequences, such as tree death and an increased risk of fungal infection. There are alternative techniques to 'Topping', which all professional arborists should be able to carry out.
-Cats stuck in trees. No need to tie up the valuable services of firemen, call an arborist!
This list is not exhaustive as trees are as unique as each of us. Many trees live out to full maturity and full size without ever posing a hazard to property or person, but this requires a combination of good advice and maintenance from the beginning. Seeking the advice of a professional on the species of tree to plant can save a great deal of expense in the future and a little formative pruning can avoid more costly remedial tree-surgery as the specimens mature.
As the tree populations of our modern towns continue to get younger and smaller, it is clear to see the real cost of not seeking professional advice on trees. Magnificent, majestic species are being replaced with 'safer' species and many of the remaining veterans are scalped into something barely resembling a tree. Much of this is re-active not proactive tree management and is often carried out without the advice of professionals.
Mature trees and people can exist together. This is proved in many towns and cities throughout Europe, but it requires the collective knowledge of professional arborists, arboriculturalists and a willingness of the general public to engage their services.
Always contact a professional if you seek good, transparent advice on your trees and remember to keep an eye out for the biggest hazard to your trees - 'Cowboy Contractors'!
The Arboricultural Association (AA) keep a register of Approved Contractors and consultants. The International Society of Arboricuture and the AA both provide advice on engaging contractors and correct tree care techniques. If engaging a professional of any kind, never hesitate to ask for qualifications and references.
Kevin Birchall is a Professional Mentor and Independent Business Owner. He is Managing Director of a professional Training company, Tree Care Ireland http://www.treecareireland.com and has been helping people to stretch their boundaries and learn new skills for several years.
His specialist areas of skill development now include business mentoring and personal development and utilizes experience gained from a lifetime of interest in personal development and 11 years of owning and running small businesses.
Kevin Birchall
"Stretch your boundaries and transform your life"
+353 868286573
[mailto:kevinbirchall1@gmail.com]kevinbirchall1@gmail.com http://www.kevinbirchall.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Birchall http://EzineArticles.com/?When-Should-I-Call-in-a-Professional-Tree-Surgeon?&id=2604026
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