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

Roe Valenti Earns Certified Arborist Certification

Roe Valenti

How many certified arborists does it take to properly care for the trees in Southern Nevada?  

The more the better, according to Roe Valenti, who just just passed her International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certification exam earlier this month.  Now, Las Vegas-based First Choice Tree Service (and its customers) have four certified arborists among its team of tree experts. 

“Being a certified arborist adds value to me and to the company,” says Roe.  “Besides the fact that we are accredited by TCIA (Tree Care Industry Association), it just makes us more competitive within our field.”

According to Roe, the biggest challenge to becoming certified was absorbing all the material.  “There is so much of it, from pruning to plant health care, risk assessment to soil management, and tree identification, biology and more,” says Roe.

Earning this credential is a voluntary activity, but it demonstrates proper knowledge and skills, as well as a high level of dedication to the profession and to the community. It is said that only 30% of exam takers pass on the first try.  "Knowing this pushed me even harder, along with having a passion for the industry," says Roe.  "I just love it!"

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