Tree
Removal is nonetheless a necessary part of landscape management. Selective removal of trees from crowded landscapes
provides space for the remaining trees to grow and prosper, and when space for building additions and other site
changes must be created, professional removal is a must.
Dead, dying, and defective trees,
on the other hand, must be removed to protect people and property. Removing these trees provides an opportunity
to replant the site with a young, vigorous tree that can make a positive contribution to the landscape.
Diagnostics
and Maintenance
FACT SHEET
What conditions and circumstances cause seemingly healthy trees to be uprooted and broken? Recent hurricanes
have provided the scientists at the Bartlett Research Laboratories with literally thousands of trees to study. While some
of their findings were obvious, others were not so obvious. They found that damage, exposure, or undesirable growth patterns
in any of the following can lead to tree failure:
Roots Over 50% of all tree failures
are root related! Roots' failure to anchor trees properly can be caused by the following:
Restricted
growing space
Lack of nourishment or oxygen
Physical
damage
Decay
Disease
Freezing
Stem The primary causes for
trunk failure are the following:
Internal decay (which isn't always visible)
Seams and cracks
Co-dominant stems ("V"-crotch)
Lightning damage
Branches Broken branches are
the most common form of tree breakage. There are many causes, including the following:
Poor
branching habits such as "V" crotches with included bark
Long, heavy, horizontal
limbs
Cracks and internal decay
Reducing Risk of Failure Remedial
actions available range from pruning to cabling to lightining protection to complete removal. Preventive steps to be considered
are the following:
