Driving through my neighborhood, I have been quite surprised by the damage the recent storms and high winds have done to many trees. Large limbs are strewn about and in some cases whole trees lie face-down in the mud.  I am also concerned for my own little forest of fir trees that dropped several large branches into my yard, and waved back and forth intensely in the harsh winds.This is a very busy time for the many tree care and removal companies.

I recently spoke with Trent Kreeck, owner of Northwest Arboriculture LLC, expressing my concerns and gleaning some valuable tips. His love for trees was expressed in a number of ways, including a commitment to try to save a tree whenever possible, rather than removing it; properly pruning rather than just topping a tree to make it shorter; and generally educating people about planning initial plantings and on-going care of trees.
Here are some of his tips:

• Make sure you have minimum house clearance of two feet at walls and six feet at the roof to prevent a pest and rodent “highway” into your house.
• Avoid making heading cuts (stubs) on deciduous trees as that creates the growth of “suckers” (unruly mass of new branches).
• Prune out the dead wood in the canopy of ornamentals so that the branches do not rub against each other creating damage.
• Do not plant large trees close to driveways or sidewalks because the root system will eventually buckle the pavement or concrete.
• Cottonwood trees should not be in close proximity to landscaped areas of your yard because their roots are very invasive and they notoriously drop lots of debris.
• Large native trees should be 20-50 feet from your house so that the canopy does not touch the house or rest on the roof.
• If you are about to purchase a home, have an arborist look at any trees on the property as part of your buyer inspection to assess and identify any hazard trees. This may affect the terms of your your offer, and the future cost of maintaining the property.

Trent is a member of ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) and TCIA (Tree Care Industry Association). These organizations maintain standards for tree care professionals, and require on-going education for their members.

Enjoy the beauty of your trees and remember that good advice and caring service is available.

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Tags: arboriculture, arborist, canopy, chain saw, Cottonwood, cut, deciduous, fruit trees, ISA, landscape, ornamental trees, roots, TCIA, thin, top, tree branches, tree clearance, tree cutter, tree hazard, tree limbs, tree pruning, trees, wind damage, wind storms