September 13, 2019
It’s storm season in the Southeast. We brace for the impact of hurricane season every year in hopes that we will escape any significant impact. Even in the absence of a major hurricane, NUF arborists see plenty of storm-damaged trees this time of year. In almost every case, if a tree falls in a storm it's because there was a defect in the structure of the tree. Healthy, structurally-sound trees rarely fail, even in heavy storms. Nevertheless, an unfortunate side effect of storm season is that many healthy and structurally-stable trees are needlessly removed after storms due to unwarranted fear that they'll be the next to fall.
Even trees that appear to be healthy can fail. Trees are complex living organisms that are stressed by many environmental factors. There are steps you can take to reduce the risk of storm damage affecting your property. Having your trees evaluated by an arborist who's qualified to perform risk assessments is the best place to start. A TRAQ-qualified arborist can help identify risks before the next storm and can assess tree structure after a storm.
Our goal is to preserve the urban forest. That's why we emphasize professional pruning, cabling, plant healthcare and other steps to reduce the risk of tree failures.
There are numerous factors to consider when assessing the health of your trees. Often, it is dead or dying limbs that fall and damage property in a storm. It’s important to look up occasionally to notice any changes in your trees. Look for dead branches, branches touching your roof or any newly leaning trees. An arborist can recognize other signs of stressed trees that might not be as easily detected. Insects and bacteria can cause a variety of signs and symptoms in trees. Limited soil volume and root growth can also have a significant impact on the health and structure of trees.This is why calling an arborist is recommended.
Meeting with an arborist will not only help to ease fears during storm season, but also insure the health and longevity of our urban canopy. Diagnosing and treating common tree ailments early, and pruning to improve tree structure are the best ways to reduce the impact of storms.
In the unfortunate event that a tree must be removed, we're the safest, most efficient and friendliest team in the business.
