The Importance of Structurally Safe Trees

Tree Biology and Structure

Trees do fail. Sometimes, the right combination of forces results in an entire tree coming down and causing thousands of dollars in damage. Even worse, causing injury to someone. To the untrained eye, it can be difficult to determine what needs to be done to make a tree safe. Luckily, most of these accidents can be prevented if you’ve got the right eyes on your property.

When a landscaper is at a site examining trees, he or she is typically examining the relationship between two factors: the biological health of the tree, and the physical structure of the tree. The health of the tree will have an effect of the structure of the tree. And vice versa. For example, a tree limb killed by disease will eventually fall off or be pruned off, and thus changing the structure. These two factors have a complicated relationship.

Landscape

Trees are complex organisms within equally complex environments. Through ongoing testing and trial and error, we oftentimes use plants in our landscapes that are not native to the environment we put them in. Being non-native means the plants evolved either in different biomes or even on different continents.

The main problem with ‘importing’ trees, is that they’re vulnerable to new pathogens they’ve never been exposed to. In other words, they get sick from new diseases. Sometimes trees don’t bat an eye in their new homes. Other times, they can cost their owners thousands of dollars just to keep them alive.

It is fair to say, some diseases may not outright kill the tree or make it unaesthetic in the short term. Unmanaged disease in trees, however, can result in dead trees, which then need to be removed. Maintaining tree disease in the landscape is done through many different means. Bottom line: Healthy trees are both beautiful and safe.

How Tree Structure applies to the Landscape

Trees in the forest will grow differently than trees grown in an urban landscape. The stresses placed upon them is very different in each environment. Urban trees will typically grow to be wider than forest trees.

It is possible for entire trees to come down during a single event in the landscape. But it is more common to see fallen branches. These wide spreading, overhanging limbs are the primary cause for concern with urban trees. Limbs growing over sidewalks or buildings can be very costly liabilities. What if the branches fall down onto a car, or a person? Trees with dead or diseased limbs are unsightly and dangerous.

It is critical to note, trees grow to accommodate the stresses placed on them from their own weight, wind, or even other trees nearby. This means any loss of large limbs can drastically alter the entire structural integrity of a tree. Trees with compromised structure pose enormous risk. This is why you’ll likely see a tree which has lost a significant number of branches to be removed entirely; especially if there are targets nearby (parking lots, buildings, etc..).

Trees are not a replaceable feature in your landscape. They take decades to reach maturity, so making sure they stay healthy is important. Trees are an investment.

Command7 Can Help

A healthy and aesthetic commercial landscape will both increase the value of a property, and attract customers to the business. Taking care of your landscape trees before they become problematic is our goal here at Command7. For any inquiries about your trees and what else we can do for your commercial property, please contact us. Servicing trees is one among many benefits you get when having your commercial properties professionally maintained by Command7.