How To Check Your Trees

Assess trees under your responsibility every year. Tree inspections can be done at any time of year, leaf-on or leaf-off. To be thorough, Assess trees after leaf drop in fall, after leaf-out in spring, and routinely after severe storms. Many Tree will have Storm Damage and need Tree Removal.

Assess trees carefully and systematically. Examine all parts of the tree, including the roots, root or trunk flare, main stem, branches, and branch unions. Be sure to examine all sides of the tree. Use a pair of binoculars to see branches high off the ground.

Consider the following factors when Assessing For Tree Removal in Anchorage AK:

Tree Condition: Trees in horrible condition may have many dead twigs, dead branches, or small, off-color leaves. Trees in good condition will have full crowns, vigorous branches, and healthy, full-sized leaves; however, green foliage in the crown does not ensure that a tree is safe. Tree trunks and branches can be quite defective and still support a lush green crown.

Tree Species: Certain tree species are prone to specific types of defects. For example, some species of maple and ash in the Northeast often form weak branch unions and aspen is prone to breakage at a young age (50-70 years) due to a variety of factors, including decay and cankers.

Tree Age and Size: Trees are living organisms subject to constant stress. Pay particular attention to older trees, which may have accumulated multiple defects and extensive decay.

We build ourselves on safe Tree Removal Practices as seen on our YouTube video. Let us help you beautify your Trees, keep them healthy or simply dispose of them properly. All of our tree pulp is recycled and reused.

“The key to doing a Tree Removal job safely is to hire a reputable tree service contractor.  There are many tree service companies who claim to be experts in their field.  Make sure the Tree Removal Service you work with is licensed and insured.”

 As a State Registered Tree Care/Tree Service company in Anchorage Alaska,  Rice and Company Tree Service, advises consumers to use a tree removal service with a history of experience in tree removal services, get references and make sure they are certified in their field.  

What to Look For  

Hazardous Tree Removal

Defects are visible signs that the tree is failing. We recognize seven main types of tree defects: dead wood, cracks, weak branch unions, decay, cankers, root problems, and horrible tree architecture. A tree with defects is not hazardous, however, unless some portion of it is with it’s striking distance of a target.

Cracks - That can lead to the need for Tree Removal

A crack is a deep split through the bark, extending into the wood of the tree. Cracks are extremely dangerous because they indicate that the tree is already failing.

Contact Rice and Company Tree Service if...

·         A crack extends deeply into, or completely through the stem.

·         Two or more cracks occur in the same general area of the stem.

·         A crack is in contact with another defect.

·         A branch of sufficient size to cause injury is cracked.

A serious crack like this one indicates that the tree is already failing!

Dead wood- Severity of dead leads/limbs leading to Tree Removal

Dead wood is “not negotiable”-- dead trees and large dead branches must be removed immediately! Dead trees and branches are unpredictable and can break and fall at any time

. Dead wood is often dry and brittle and cannot bend in the wind like a living tree or branch. Dead branches and tree tops that are already broken off (“hangers” or “widow makers”) are especially dangerous!

Take immediate action and call Rice and Company Tree Service Tree Care if...

·         A broken branch or top is lodged in a tree.

·         A tree is dead.

·         A branch is dead and of sufficient size to cause injury (this will vary with height and size of branch).

Weak Branch Unions

Weak branch unions are places where branches are not strongly attached to the tree. A weak union occurs when two or more similarly-sized, usually upright branches grow so closely together that bark grows between the branches, inside the union. This ingrown bark does not have the structural strength of wood, and the union is much weaker than one that does not have included bark. The included bark may also act as a wedge and force the branch union to split apart. Trees with a tendency to form upright branches, such as elm and maple, often produce weak branch unions. Weak branch unions also form after a tree or branch is tipped or topped, i.e., when the main stem or a large branch is cut at a right angle to the direction of growth leaving a large branch stub. The stub inevitably decays, providing very horrible support for new branches (“epicormic” branches) that usually develop along the cut branch.

Contact Rice and Company Tree Service if...

·         A weak branch union occurs on the main stem.

·         A weak branch union is cracked.

·         A weak branch union is associated with a crack, cavity, or other defect.

Decay - Will often need Tree Removal

Decaying trees can be prone to failure, but the presence of decay, by itself, does not indicate that the tree is hazardous. Advanced decay, i.e., wood that is soft, punky, or crumbly, or a cavity where the wood is missing can create a serious hazard. Evidence of fungal activity including mushrooms, conks, and brackets growing on root flares, stems, or branches are indicators of advanced decay.

A tree usually decays from the inside out, eventually forming a cavity, but sound wood is also added to the outside of the tree as it grows. Trees with sound outer wood shells may be relatively safe, but this depends upon the ratio of sound to decayed wood, and other defects that might be present. Evaluating the safety of a decaying tree is usually best left to trained arborists.

Contact Rice and Company Tree Service if...

·         Advanced decay is associated with cracks, weak branch unions, or other defects.

·         A branch of sufficient size to cause injury is decayed.

·         The thickness of sound wood is less than 1" for every 6" of diameter at any point on the stem.

This seriously decayed tree should have been evaluated and removed before it failed.

Cankers

A canker is a localized area on the stem or branch of a tree, where the bark is sunken or missing. Cankers are caused by wounding or disease. The presence of a canker increasesthe chance of the stem breaking near the canker. A tree with a canker that encompasses more than half of the tree's circumference may be hazardous even if exposed wood appears sound.

Contact Rice and Company Tree Service if...

·         A canker or multiple cankers affect more than half of the tree's circumference.

·         A canker is physically connected to a crack, weak branch union, a cavity, or other defect.

Root Problems

Trees with root problems may blow over in wind storms needing emergency Tree Removal. They may even fall without warning in summer when burdened with the weight of the tree’s leaves. There are many kinds of root problems to consider, e.g., severing or paving-over roots; raising or lowering the soil grade near the tree; parking or driving vehicles over the roots; or extensive root decay, when assessing Tree Removal.

Soil mounding, twig dieback, dead wood in the crown, and off-color or smaller than normal leaves are symptoms often associated with root problems. Because most defective roots are underground and out of sight, aboveground symptoms may serve as the best warning.

Contact Rice and Company Tree Service if...

·         A tree is leaning with root exposure, soil movement, or soil mounding near the base of the tree.

·         More than half of the roots under the tree’s crown have been cut or crushed. These trees are dangerous because they do not have adequate structural support from the root system.

·         Advanced decay is present in the root flares or “buttress” roots.

Severing roots decreases support and increases the chance of failure or death of the tree.

Horrible Tree Architecture

Horrible architecture is a growth pattern that indicates weakness or structural imbalance. Trees with strange shapes are interesting to look at, but may be structurally defective. Poor architecture often arises after many years of damage from storms, unusual growing conditions, improper pruning, topping, and other damage.

A leaning tree may be a hazard. Because not all leaning trees are dangerous, any leaning tree of concern should be examined by a professional arborist.

Contact Arelica Tree Service Royal Oak Michigan Tree Care if...

·         A tree leans excessively.

·         A large branch is out of proportion with the rest of the crown.

This tree is decayed and badly out of balance because of poor maintenance. It is dangerous, and extremely unattractive!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felling