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.

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.”

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.

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!

Las Vegas Tree Professionals Gear Up for Safety

    

Las Vegas tree professionals at First Choice Tree Service are "tying the knot" with safety.  The tree service company's crew, led by Safety Director, Leon Pera, has been undergoing a series of classes to aide them in their efficiency in tree climbing and safety.  Being accredited by the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), the company strives to maintain its safety standards and lead the way in Southern Nevada.

"Learning the names of the knots is as equally important as knowing how to tie them and use them," says Pera. "It's all about educating our employees and teaching them assessment techniques for emergencies."

The crew has undergone first aid and CPR courses and a series of hands-on training in the areas of aerial rescue training and advanced tree climber training.

"We teach them how to use the equipment that they already have with them, to perform tree rescues," says Pera.  "Let's say if a team member is suffering from dehydration and is unable to come down, our own on-site team is capable and equipped to put together a rescue team and efficiently bring the person down while medical help is on its way."

Training at First Choice Tree Service results in certification, but moreover efficiency on the job, skilled professionalism and confidence.

"Seeing our company grow to the next level of expertise is a place that we've wanted to be for years," says Tony Valenti, owner of First Choice Tree Service. "We've set high expectations to be the best in Las Vegas, and it feels great to know that everyone is on board to achieve success."