Tree Disease and Maintenance

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Trees provide significant benefits to landscapes, communities and the environment. However, they can also be liabilities. Trees can become weak, sick or stressed due to many factors and fall -- unfortunately in doing so, they can cause property damage or worse, personal injury. Proper tree care is essential in reducing these risks. It can also prolong the tree's life and in turn increase the benefits it provides.

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If you have trees on your property, it's your duty to keep them healthy and free of risk. Regular tree care can help identify hazardous trees and the risks they present. Once the hazard is recognized, preventative measures may be taken to reduce the likelihood of the tree falling.

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Know the Signs

There are some tell-tale signs that may indicate that your tree could be at risk of failure. The International Society of Arboriculture suggests the follow considerations:

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• 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 trenches?
• 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?

If you answered yes to any of these, contact Tree and Shrubs Insect Services ​​to conduct an assessment on your tree(s).

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