First Choice Tree Service honors Linn Mills

By Tony Valenti

In Las Vegas, most everyone knew of Linn Mills.  He was a leader in the Southern Nevada horticultural community and a longtime Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist, who unexpectedly passed away earlier this year. 

Recently, at First Choice Tree Service, we dedicated our yard to Linn.  Now, at our two-acre fenced lot, hangs a banner in his name. Every time we drive through, we think of the great person he was.  The lot is called the Linn Mills Yard, and it is the heart of our tree service business.  But, the tribute to this man runs much deeper. 

You see, Linn was such an inspiration, to not only me, but to everyone he encountered. He had a way of making everyone feel good about themselves.Linn was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a bishop for his church.  But, talks of religion were hardly in my conversations with him, as he always regarded me as a peer and expert in the tree industry.

Professionally, he was an expert in his field of horticulture. During most of his career as a horticulturalist, Linn worked for the University of Nevada Reno Cooperative Extension in Southern Nevada. He spent a few years working for the Utah State University Cooperative Extension in Salt Lake City. Linn finished his career at the Las Vegas Valley Water District. For the past 30 years he was a garden columnist for the Las Vegas Review Journal and did garden segments for KLAS-TV 8. Linn also co-authored “The Nevada Gardener’s Guide”.

Linn was also active at Springs Preserve.  I still remember the time when he called upon me, as I was doing a site check there.   He had a tour group of about 15 people. He was educating them on the various native species that grow in the Las Vegas Valley.  Linn and I had known each other a long time and whenever he wanted to talk about trees, I was his go-to person.  That day, I just happened to be at Springs Preserve when he spotted me and asked me to talk to this group about a particular tree.  I was honored to have shared the platform with him that day.

Linn had a way of making everyone around him feel special.  It’s a gift that only a handful in this world are willing to give freely.  His unselfish ways, his laughter, his knowledge, his continued thirst to learn - even as accomplished as he was - is an inspiration.  His legacy lives on in our hearts. With each person he touched, it was like an arrow launched from his bow. We are the arrows that will continue his legacy of sharing, serving and enriching the lives of others.

First Choice Tree Service is LEAN at 25!

By Tony Valenti

It has a been a spectacular year for us, as we celebrate 25 years since First Choice Tree Service started out of a pick-up truck.  We have grown significantly since our early beginnings.  I wrote in a previous post about my visit to Vermeer Manufacturing’s headquarters.  What I learned from my visit is the importance of business efficiency. It inspired me to want to provide a better workplace for our entire company. This year, I’m honored to take part in Vermeer’s LEAN Initiative.

Tony Valenti and Kyle Pieratt of Vermeer Southwest Sales

We can choose to LEAN anything, from our administrative process, to our yard operations.  Our goal is to eventually LEAN our entire business, but a good starting point for us was our yard and shop areas.  First Choice Tree Service sits on three acres, on which we house all our equipment, entire fleet, tools, etc., everything needed to conduct business on a daily basis. With the help of representatives of Vermeer Mfg. and Vermeer Sales Southwest we re-organized our yard in a manner in which our crews can clock in, grab their tools and uniforms and head to their trucks in far fewer steps.  By moving key storage containers, Conex boxes, etc., to more logical locations, we have increased their efficiency and reduced wasteful time spent walking across our large lot multiple times to obtained everything the crews need to start their day.

Essentially, LEAN is centered on making obvious what adds value by reducing everything else. It’s a philosophy derived mostly from the Japanese manufacturing industry. Kaizen, the Japanese word for “good change,” is based on improving standardized activities and processes, and ultimately eliminating waste.  By implementing an organizational method called “5S” (Sort-Set in Order-Shine-Standardize-Sustain), we successfully implemented a process for creating a more efficient work environment.

Another area of our LEAN focus was our mechanic’s shop.  Our entire inventory of tools and shop supplies were removed from various locations of the shop and placed in a staging area for evaluation.  Items identified as waste were hauled away. Items of value were kept. In fact, an area of waste that totaled approximately 30 yards was considered expendables.   Every corner of the shop was cleaned, then re-organized.  Equipment and tools were assigned to specific areas, clearly marked with paint.  At the end of the day, all equipment/tools are expected to be returned to their designated locations.  If a designated spot it empty, it will be noticeable to anyone something is missing.   Additionally, our mechanics have color coded work areas and toolboxes.  I think they are quite pleased with their newly-organized workstations.

A presentation was held at the end of the event to recap the week’s activities and to discuss what we must do to maintain the 5S process in our yard and shop areas.  We still have work to do in LEANing the rest of our company, but we made a remarkable change in just one week. We look forward to implementing the same methods in other areas of our business.  I’m so grateful our staff embraced and invested themselves in this philosophy.  The idea of working towards a more efficient business translates to so many positives. From raising morale, to greater teamwork, to increased pride in our work, to reaping the rewards of accomplishing great feats. 

  

I cannot thank Vermeer Mfg. and Vermeer Sales Southwest for their investment of time and resources in our company, spending upwards of 50 hours in one week to jump-start this great business venture we call LEAN.  It’s been an incredible experience thus far. We look forward to sustaining this initiative and continually moving forward with “good change.”

First Choice Tree Service Visits Vermeer

By Tony Valenti

Every once in a while, I am fascinated by something that inspires me to take action.  While my company, First Choice Tree Service, is celebrating 25 years in business this year, we are still growing, learning, expanding, and perfecting our business model.  My recent trip to Vermeer only accelerated our momentum to keep up with the pace of our fast-growing company, to improve our processes while continuing to provide value to our customers.

My close association with Vermeer landed me an invitation to visit their headquarters in Pella, Iowa. I have always been impressed by Vermeer products. What I learned while I was there made quite an impression on me and the future of our company.  The legacy of Mr. Vermeer lives strong in their company, and it all started with his philosophy for success:  fill a need.  

Gary Vermeer was a farmer who saw a need. In1948, he created a mechanical hoist to ease the process of unloading his grain wagon during harvest. Word spread quickly and a company was born. Soon, different product lines started emerging from Vermeer Manufacturing Co.  In 1971, he invented the first large round baler.  The Vermeer baler revolutionized the way hay was harvested and is still considered one of the most important agricultural inventions.

Today, Vermeer manufactures equipment for the hay harvesting industry, as well as grinders, brush chippers, stump cutters, horizontal directing drilling systems, mini skid steer, utility and track trenchers.

In later years, the company added Vermeer University, which provides product knowledge/training for its dealers and company work force, and employee job skills training.

Aside from the overall experience of being on the Vermeer property and learning about their company's culture and philosophy, the biggest take-away for me was learning about the "Lean Initiative."  Using the company's core innovative thinking, Vermeer developed a process that improved their cost management, quality, lead time, customer service and many other aspects of their operations.  After implementing the Lean process in the late 1990s, their productivity skyrocketed.  One example of their improved efficiency is it used to take 52 days to manufacture a chipper, it now only takes 2 1/2 days.  The hours per unit went from 80 hours to the low teens. Additionally, Vermeer experienced improvements in their production quality, safety and customer service.

 Learning about the process of organizing a company that is streamlined, productive and robust in every way was the highlight of the visit. While Vermeer is in the business of manufacturing, First Choice Tree Service is a service company, in the business of providing the best tree care service in Southern Nevada.  We take great pride in giving back to our community, educating our customers and our community about trees and conservation, as well as beautifying the cityscapes in the Las Vegas Valley.  At the end of the day, it's a lot we are trying to do, and we're committed to being the best.

I'm excited to see how the Lean Initiative will enhance our company’s processes in delivering greater value to our customers.

Is it time to remove a tree?

By Tony Valenti

Certified Arborist #WE7531A

CTSP #918

Trees are beautiful and comforting to many of us. Some would even go so far to claim that they’re like family. So, removing a tree from your landscape could be a difficult experience to encounter, especially if you’ve grown accustomed to seeing it outside your window for years.

What if you notice over time that this tree looks different than it did when it was healthy?  Rather than seeing its branches sway in the breeze, you observe a bare canopy, which would normally be lush with leaves in the summer, hanging over the ground where the tree's roots once vigorously grew.

A tree planted too close to a building can cause hazards.

This palm tree succumbed to rot.

Before you decide to do anything, consult a professionally trained arborist to help inspect your trees for damage and determine the best solutions for the benefit of your landscape. A qualified arborist would not only best communicate the likelihood of failure for your injured tree, but also provide you with the full range of benefits your living tree would continue to provide if not removed.

Transplanting a tree can often times be an alternative to removal.

For a quick home analysis, start observing the tree, starting at the roots. Determine what might be occurring at the base before working your way up the tree during an inspection. Check of the following signs of tree damage:

1. Heaving soil at the base of the trunk and beneath the canopy
2. Mushrooms and other decay-producing fungi growing at the base of the trunk
3. Fine twigs without living buds near the ends of branches
4. Peeling or chipped bark and cracks in the trunk
5. Cavities in the trunk or large scaffold branches
6. Dead or hanging branches in the upper crown

Are London Plane Sycamores happy in Las Vegas?

         The name “London” gives us an indication that London Plane Sycamore trees are not native of Las Vegas. In fact, Sycamores grow in all states east of the Great Plains, except Minnesota. Sycamores prefer to thrive along edges of streams and lakes and small depressions that have slow drainage. Additionally, this species grows well in wet muck land, shallow peat soils and soils associated with river bottoms and flood plains. Farther south, it commonly grows on the alluvial soils of flood plains adjacent to larger rivers, on former stream banks and in the moist coves, lower slopes and ravines. In general, this tree grows best on sandy loam with a good supply of ground water, typically on the edges of lakes and streams. 

So, what happens when you take that same tree and install it in the harsh desert environment with extreme heat, extreme winds, extreme cold and extreme fluctuations in temperatures? Then, on top of that, we plant it in a small tree well next to asphalt and concrete walkways and buildings, like many trees are planted in Las Vegas.

The result can be any or all of the following: discoloration of the leaves (yellowing), leaf scorch (the leaf tips browning), twig die back, lethal cankers, lace bugs, flathead borers, plum borers, premature leaf drop, dead branches, reduced vigor, injury and ultimately death.

While there are some Sycamores that do better than others in the Las Vegas area, this is mainly due to proper tree maintenance being performed on the trees such as, minimal pruning cuts, adequate water, fertilization and overall plant healthcare program. 

Environmental stresses are the root (no pun intended) of the problem. Planting London Planes in constricted planters next to asphalt parking lots and being exposed to radiant heat from the buildings, sidewalks, asphalt, cars, exhaust, dry winds, severe cold and heat, and rockscapes are all negative forces that challenge Sycamores to thrive in Las Vegas.

The roots of these trees become super heated and respiration hardly occurs, which thereby prohibits the trees to shut down. As a result, only short periods of time is allowed for the tree to actually transport water and nutrients to the trunk, branches and leaves to the tree.

Now, combine all those environmental stresses with the borers and the lethal canker, which are actually secondary issues and we’ve got some unhealthy London Planes.

In the end, London Planes are challenging to grow in Las Vegas and location of these trees should be carefully considered.

Clearing trees to restore animal habitats in Nevada

While much of a tree service professional's time is spent enhancing tree health and maintaining beauty in the landscape, sometimes removing trees becomes part of the job.  Such is the case with the project in the Spruce Mountain area of Elko, County, Nevada.  First Choice Tree Service  of Las Vegas is working in partnership with The Nevada Department of Wildlife to remove Pinyon and Juniper trees to improve the habitat of the native fauna in the area.

The major goal is to remove the trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of less than 12 inches.  Removing these will improve deer winter range and sage-grouse nesting and brood rearing habitat.

"These trees are growing near or right in the sagebrush and mountain brush vegetation, causing less than optimum conditions," says Tony Valenti, First Choice Tree Service owner.  "It is vital that we remove these trees to re-establish sagebrush habitat for these animals."

First Choice Tree Service will work through the fall season and into early winter, then resume in the spring of 2014 after the snow melts.

Can the ball of a Canary Palm fall to the ground?

Author: Eddie Rodriguez, ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST #WC-3916 

Over a two-year period, I worked extensive with Canary Palms with the City of Beverly Hills.  It all started when a resident called in one day and said that somebody had thrown a bomb in her front yard and blew up her Canary Palm. She said that it sounded like thump, thump thump, thump thump thump thump! Boom!!!!!!!!!!!!! The ground shook.

I arrived at the house and found a small piece of the ball or pineapple had fallen from the Canary Palm. I was charged with the task to figure out a solution to the problem, as it was not only dangerous but was costing the city a lot of money in claims.   On the average, one Canary Palm ball was dropping each day. 

When we look at Canaries, we notice the one thing that distinctly makes them unique to other palms – and that is their ball or the pineapple. What started happening was these balls were starting to fall.  Now, imagine a ball 80-100 feet up - much higher than the ones here in Las Vegas, falling to the ground – sometimes piece-by-piece, then eventually, the whole thing.

It makes sense that they have the potential to do this, because where the boot of the canary is attached to the palm at the petiole, the structure is very thin. To give you an idea on how large the boot is on some of these palms, it’s about the size of a size of a man shoe (size 12) and weighs 5-8 pounds each! Now imagine how many of these boots make up one ball.  The point of attachment is approximately 1 ½ inches.  Besides the weak structure of the Canary Palm ball, there are a number of other reasons that make them susceptible to falling to the ground.

  

Wind is always a problem for anything that is high.   Rain causes the boots to swell up and become heavy.  Pests bore into the petioles and weaken the boots even more, and then there is also deterioration from age.

But, the biggest problem was the tremendous pressure and weight pushing down on the pineapple with all the other forces that I just mentioned.   To fix this problem, we need to relieve some of the forces causing the pineapple to fail. By reducing the weight, the height, and the width of the pineapple we can tremendously reduce the chances of failure. Please also note that shaping of the pineapple should be done by a professional experienced in crown-shaping and reconstruction. I do not recommend homeowners to this work on their own even if they think that it looks easy. In Southern Nevada, call us at First Choice Tree Service.

Tree Salvage Kicks Off New York-Style Las Vegas Strip Park

 

MGM Resorts International broke ground on an open-air entertainment promenade and New York-style park linking two of its Las Vegas Strip properties: New York-New York and Monte Carlo.  Integral to the project’s commencement was the removal of existing trees.  First Choice Tree Service was asked to remove approximately 200 trees, including Pines, Oaks, Texas Mountain Laurels, Crape Myrtles, Lace Bark Elms and Japanese Blueberry trees.   Each specimen was carefully removed and placed into boxes ranging from 24” to 120”.

“Most of these trees are expected to go back into the park,” says Gene Cimorelli. Executive Vice President and General Manager of First Choice Tree Service. “We’ve created a salvage yard at a neighboring resort property where they will receive the care and maintenance that they need.”

Removal of these trees requires the expertise of a professional tree crew, a certified arborist and the proper equipment. 

Spread across 63 acres, the project will create park-like retail and dining spaces between the resorts for greater pedestrian interaction and interstitial visitor synergy. The neighboring hotel-casinos will be connected by a tree-dotted plaza lined with benches, food trucks and shops.

First Choice Tree Service owner Tony Valenti.

“Everyone appreciates the natural beauty that trees bring to the city,” says Cimorelli.  “Our job is to make sure that these specimens survive until they are transplanted into their new destination at the park.”

How Tree Professionals Work Safely During Summer Heat Conditions

While the Las Vegas summer heat may bring risk to outdoor tree professionals, First Choice Tree Service has been providing safety training for its crew members to be prepared for heat exhaustion.  Owner of First Choice Tree Service is a Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP) who empowers and encourages a culture of safety within his organization.

Tony Valenti, who has owned First Choice Tree Service for over 20 years, is one of a handful certified in tree safety professionals in Nevada.  “We all know that working in the desert heat is taxing to the body,” says Valenti.  “But, tree climbers are in greater danger because they are usually working high up in the trees.”

Heat exhaustion can occur in a very short period of time and can cause dehydration, dizziness and blackouts.  “Our crew is trained to handle the situation safely in the small chance that one of our crew members have incurred a work-related injury or have succumb to fainting while they are up high up in the tree,” say Valenti.  The crew works with the resident “mascot” named Woody, a 150-lb  dummy constructed out of tree stumps and branches.  His sheer weight is a clear reminder of how important it is to be prepared and practice tree safety at all times.

Maintaining a Certified Treecare Safety Professional like Valenti on staff means that First Choice Tree Service is committed to safe practices in arboricultural operations.  He implements the latest technological advances and regulatory activities affecting the industry through the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) safety network, and must commit to ongoing education in the safety field in order to maintain their certification.  
 
Because safety regulations and industry standards are continually evolving, the ongoing education requirement is vital to maintaining a legitimate safety program within a given company. Las Vegas residential and commercial customers can have greater peace of mind with the knowledge that hiring a tree care company with a CTSP on staff helps to ensure safe and professional arboricultural work on their property.

Teaching Las Vegas Kids about Trees and the Environment

One of the many things that First Choice Tree Service enjoys doing is giving back to the community.  Kids, especially, are truly close to our hearts.  Our future relies on them, and if we can educate them on the importance of our environment, we know we've done our part.   

This is just what we did at Discover Charter School in Las Vegas, NV.  We visited these bright elementary kids and shared with them about the wonder of trees and our local environment.  Through various activities and talks we sparked their interest and engaged them in discovering how very important it is to preserve our trees and nature.  A few weeks later we received this beautiful piece of art from these wonderful students.  The saying on it says it all... "Thanks for 'rooting' for us, First Choice Tree Service." 

That just said it all!  We are so proud to have made an impact on them that day!

Tips for Growing Olive Trees in Las Vegas

If you plan to use olive trees as part of your landscaping, you'll probably want a fruitless variety, such as Majestic Beauty, Swan Hill or Wilsonii. Once they reach maturity, olive trees are generally drought-tolerant. They are also quite water efficient - a weekly deep watering will suffice during the hot summers in Las Vegas. 

If  you're skilled at curing olives, having a fruit-bearing olive tree is a necessity.  However, in Las Vegas, most people are eager to eliminate the mess that the fruit makes on the ground below.   January through March is the critical time to spray for fruit elimination.

Tips for Growing Fruitless Olive Trees in Las Vegas

1. Plant in well-drained soil, in full sun, with the crown above grade.

2. Water regularly and deeply until established, then schedule watering as fit for a xeriscape (low-water use) plant.

3. Spray to eliminate fruit (fruitless trees may eventually start producing fruit) in January and February.

4. Prune annually during cooler weather to remove water sprouts and lightly thin. 

5. No other pruning is needed when planted 15-30 feet from buildings. 

6. Fertilize every autumn and early spring, and water deeply following fertilization.

Lighting a Path to Healing this Christmas

Spreading holiday wishes of love, joy, peace and health is something that First Choice Tree Service (FCTS)  in Las Vegas does not take for granted.  And, there are occasions when we feel compelled to do a little extra when the opportunity arises.  Early this month, First Choice Tree Service received a call from a Las Vegas resident who wanted the exterior of his home lit with Christmas lights. Normally, FCTS does not offer residential home and tree lighting, but this time, an exception was made.

The man on the phone described his situation involving his wife who had been battling breast cancer.  She was due to come home from the hospital to rest and enjoy a peaceful Christmas with him and the family.  Her stage four cancer had taken a toll, and she had been in the hospital for a few months.  Her husband wanted to bring her home to a sanctuary that was both tranquil and uplifting.

"When I received the call and heard his story, I wanted to make this happen for him," says Diego Aguilera, of First Choice Tree Service.  "Even though we only light commercial properties, I knew that Tony Valenti (FCTS owner) and the rest of us would want to offer to light the home for him and his wife."

First Choice Tree Service sent out a crew to light the perimeter of his house, as well as the landscaping that surrounded it.  All the labor and material were donated.

"He was really please with his house," says Aguilera.  "But more than that, we are so happy to have helped him during this difficult time.  Hopefully the lights will provide some hope and peace this season.

Las Vegas Tree Lighting Comes to Life at Springs Preserve

Commercial holiday tree lighting in Las Vegas has come to be a significant part of First Choice Tree Service, Southern Nevada's premiere tree care company.  In addition to illuminating a few notable resort casino properties on the Las Vegas Strip, FCTS lit up the grounds of the beautiful Springs Preserve, a 180-acre attraction in Las Vegas, featuring botanical gardens, museums, exhibits, trails and more.  First Choice Tree Service put up nearly half a million LED lights to celebrate the spirit of the season, as part of Springs Preserve's  Holiday Spectacular, which takes place on December 8 and 9th, and December 15-23 when the park will be open during the evening hours from 5-9 p.m.

"Lights during the holidays is part of the magic and wonder," says Tony Valenti, owner of First Choice Tree Service.  "The Springs Preserve is such a great place for locals and visitors to spend the day and learn about the area's land and history and by night it turns into a whole other attraction during holidays."

Crews from Las Vegas’ premiere tree care service company spent all of October trimming and wrapping strands upon strands of multi-colored LED lights to achieve the brilliance for gazers to enjoy.  To ensure safety of visitors, majority of the work occured at night between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when pedestrian traffic was the lowest.  The 5-8 person crew climbed trees and worked on higher limbs via extension buckets. 

As millions of lights are now illuminating Las Vegas, his company knows just how much safety plays in transforming properties into magical wonders.

Visit Springs Preserve for the holidays this season.  For more information about commercial tree lighting and tree service, visit www.firstchoicetree.com.

First Choice Tree Service in Las Vegas succeeds in hotel-top tree removal

Getting a palm tree off the top of a casino/resort in Las Vegas sounds like no easy feat, but sometimes it has to be done.  This is exactly what First Choice Tree Service of Las Vegas did at Red Rock Casino & Hotel earlier this month.  Since the resort opened in 2006, a trio of palm trees graced the deck of the penthouse level suite of the Las Vegas resort.  When one of them, an 18-ft tall palm, perished, it required removal.

The difficulties were only huge due to the height - approximately 300-400 feet to the ground below - as well as the distance to the edge of the building.  The palm was situated in a vaulted planter just 5 feet from the edge.  Often during tree removals, adjoining trees surrounding the one to be removed act as additional sources of support.  The crew was not able to leverage the support of a nearby tree in this case.

“This job was not too different from any job we do day-to-day at residential and commercial properties,” says Gene Cimorelli, executive vice president/general manager of First Choice Tree Service.  “All our jobs are hazardous; but this one just took place a little higher than most." 

And, while there are many ways to remove trees from tops of buildings, like a helicopter or a crane, the property opted for neither and went with the option to cut the palm tree into small sections and bring them down through the property's interior passageways.

An experienced removal crew of three men and a safety director was on site to assess the work and ensure safety procedures were followed.  "While we are sensitive to the hotel guests and to the everyday operations of a busy property, such as this casino resort, ultimately, our goal was to remove the palm tree safely," says Leon Pera, First Choice Tree's safety director. Replacement of the palm may possibly take place next spring.

First Choice Tree Service spreads its passion for tree research in the Pacific Northwest

Tony Valenti, Michael Corrente & Lisa Ortega

At First Choice Tree Service in Las Vegas, tree research and education is our passion.  While we are out there everyday doing what we do best - caring for, and maintaining the trees of Las Vegas, Henderson and Clark County, not to mention all the residences that cover Southern Nevada -  we look for opportunities to spread the word.  Last week, we sponsored cyclist, Michael Corrente, in the Stihl Tour des Trees bike ride through the Pacific Northwest to benefit the TREE fund.

Educating kids about caring for urban trees and forests.

He, along with other riders from the country, joined together to ride over 565 miles and raised money for tree research and education.  They started from Portland, OR, and traced a counter-clockwise loop that included the Oregon coastline, vineyards, high desert and Columbia River Gorge, with Douglas firs and Mt. Hoot provided the backdrop for the visually spectacular week.

"What's amazing is that Michael is the only rider from Nevada to have participated in this ride, and we're proud to have helped him on his mission," says Tony Valenti, president of First Choice Tree Service."  Watch the video below to find out more!

Congratulations to Michael on a successful ride!