As millions of lights are now illuminating the trees on recognizable Las Vegas Strip properties during this holiday season, First Choice Tree Service reflects on how safety is the biggest role, followed closely by beauty.

Las Vegas’ premiere tree care service company, First Choice Tree Service, spent all of October pulling down old lights, trimming, then re-wrapping the towering 50-100 foot trees with twinkling holiday lights.  The two major properties on the Strip have been using First Choice Tree Service for seven years to light up the properties with holiday magic.

While providing awe-inspiring beauty is one of the goals of the First Choice Tree Service (FCTS) team, safety is the primary importance. 

“The biggest concern is to make sure we follow safety protocol and procedures for pedestrians below,” says Leon Pera, safety director for FCTS. 

For this reason, all of the work occurs at night between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am when pedestrian traffic is the lowest.  The 5-8 person crew climbs trees, and works on higher limbs via extension buckets. Some areas of the properties require working above bodies of water, which makes the job even more risky.

“First Choice Tree Service has always implemented the highest care in providing a safe work environment for its crew and for the general public,” says Tony Valenti, owner of First Choice Tree Service.  Valenti, who is also a certified tree care safety professional (CTSP), takes pride in being one of a handful of professionals in Southern Nevada that is certified in safety by the Tree Care Industry Association.

Working in tandem with the property’s horticultural and engineering teams, lights are wrapped to specification to create the most dramatic effect.

“All the lights are white and we use over 3,000 strands of lights,” says Pera.  Count the total number of trees and when the job is done, there are nearly 650,000 lights illuminating the sky.

While the tree care industry is ranked among one of the most dangerous professions in the U.S., the result of their work done is well worth it, especially if it’s enjoyed by millions of Las Vegas locals and visitors.

Making the Las Vegas Strip look beautiful and safe

Working in one of the top travel destinations in the world, it's our job to make our city look the best for visitors and locals alike.  People who visit Las Vegas most often stay on the Strip, which spans approximately 4 miles long consisting of resorts, casinos, dining establishments and entertainment venues.

While there is plenty of tree care to offer at these highly recognizable properties, First Choice also cares for the trees that dot the median on the Strip.

One of the trickiest parts of working in such a congested area is vehicle traffic and the pedestrians below.  First Choice Tree Service enforces safety procedures to ensure that its employees and the general public are safe at all times.

Next time you find yourself on the Strip, take a look up at the magnificent trees, as now you know that much care goes into them!

Planting a tree? Think location!

So you've found yourself at the nursery and spotted a tree you like.  Before you decide to purchase it, make sure you think about where you're going to plant it.

Similar to bringing home a new pet, you have to consider its long-term needs and whether you'll be able to provide for it.  The most common mistake is choosing a tree that is larger than the space which it is to be planted - much like bringing home a St. Bernard dog into your apartment complex with a small balcony.  You get the picture! 

Squeezing a tree into an area that would eventually need plenty of room to grow can create problems years down the road.  

Large-scale trees such as eucalyptus, ash varieties, Chinese pistache, cottonwood and pine require a tremendous amount of space to grow.  It is recommended to plant them 20 feet away from structures. Also, large deciduous trees can leave large amounts of leaves dropped each season that can affect the health and vitality of understory plants, which at one time received full sun and is now shaded from the tree's canopy.

Additionally, large deciduous trees drop a tremendous amount of leaves, leaving you with a more challenging issue of maintaining your landscape.

"Ample root space is going to be critical," says Sean Knapik, certified arborist at First Choice Tree Service.  "In addition, not all trees at your local nursery are suitable for your landscape based on soil and light requirements." 

Smart choices for smaller spaces that thrive in the desert southwest  include Australian bottle, crape myrtle, chaste, Texas mountain laurel and Japanese blueberry.

Be smart about the location of your tree and how it can benefit you  - besides beauty.  Planting deciduous trees with southern and western exposure provides shade during warm summer months and sun during the winter.

For more information about tree care, visit First Choice Tree Service and remember, it takes a lifetime to grow a beautiful tree and 10 minutes to ruin it.

Image courtesy of cinemaliberated.com

Trees: A Weapon Against Skin Cancer & Childhood Obesity?

Playing in natural shade.
Image by Bryan Farley

People, especially kids, have always dealt with summer sun.  Usually it doesn't prevent them from going outside to play.  But research now shows a growing risk of skin cancer in kids.  Futhermore, we are all aware by now about the childhood obesity issue in the U.S.


At a time when one out of three children are obese, a movement is growing to provide more shade at playgrounds, parks, and pools, to reduce future cancer risks and promote exercise.  Shade structures are one way to go, but many feel that trees are a more natural option.


Across the U.S., communities are working to make school play areas greener, with more trees, shrubs and natural shade.  In Northern California, a grass-roots outfit called Canopy is planting 1,000 trees over the next four years at inner city schools.   In New York, kids are also getting some relief, as the city is about half-way done with its goal of planting one million trees over 10 years.


To take it one step further, many feel that playgrounds designed in harmony with nature is the best way to offer shade, and that the benefits go way beyond comfort and health prevention.


"It takes you back to the days when playing outside meant you're among nature - birds, flowers, trees." says Tony Valenti, president and certified arborist at First Choice Tree Service.  "I can't think of a better place to cool off other than under a mature tree."


In Nevada, Valenti and his peers feel that natural play is the best way to go. “Research has shown how outdoor play provides limitless benefits to children, such as combating childhood obesity, but being in touch with nature broadens their growth and enrichment” says Donnie Garritano, owner of D&K Landscape.


So, the word is out.  What is next?  We can use the help of parents to spread the word to city and county officials and encourage more trees to be planted in schools, parks, playgrounds and communities.  Let's work together in this movement!

What do palms have in common with the Denver Zoo?

We're a Las Vegas-based tree care company, but our branches of community service (rather, our trunks in in this case) reach as far away as Denver, CO.  In our back lot, we've collected palm trunks from various jobs this year and have set them aside to be shipped off to the Denver Zoo.

Why?  Because feathered residents of the zoo need the ideal place to raise their young, and in Colorado, access to palm logs are limited. What's unique about these birds is that they require specific palm species to thrive during their time as young hatchlings.

Avian Propagation Keeper Michael Gallegos said that the Palm logs will be used as nests for several bird species, including Toucans, Hornbills, Micronesian Guam Kingfishers and Barbets. "Several of the logs will be hollowed out, then a wooden lid will be added to the top to seal the log cavity, and a single hole drilled into the side of the log will be an entrance for the birds," says Gallegos.  

The hollowed out logs will be repacked with mulch to give the birds the opportunity to go through the motions of excavating the log themselves, as this stimulates breeding.  

First Choice Tree Service is committed to helping communities beautify, care for, and conserve their trees.  We're driven by our commitment to sustainability and recycling, so providing these trunks to the Denver Zoo couldn't make us happier.

 Keel Billed Toucan - Breeding Pair will raise their young in logs provided by First Choice Tree Service.

Look closely for the young Green Acari getting ready to fledge his log.