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Posts Tagged ‘storm damage’
Friday, September 9th, 2011
 Don't Procrastinate on Tree Assessment The extreme soaking, wet weather this season has created problems with trees falling because their roots won’t hold in the saturated ground. The ground gets soft, trees lean, take up too much moisture to the crown – and topple.
Those falling trees come crashing down on roadways, houses, yards and power lines costing time and money that could have been avoided with a Tree Report. Wood Acres crews have been busy cleaning up the aftermath of trees suffering from too much water, wind or both.
Trees add to our enjoyment of the outdoors, improve the air we breathe and contribute to the value of our properties. However, trees also have liabilities associated with them. The key to reducing those liabilities is to recognize when a tree becomes hazardous and take the appropriate steps to correct or eliminate the hazard.
Our Certified Arborists provide a Tree Structure Evaluation/Risk Assessment Report. This report provides the following information: tree species, size, species failure profile, evaluation of location and site of tree, visual tree analysis, wood rot-decay analysis, risk rating, interpretation of evaluation and remedial treatments.
Don’t wait. Contact Wood Acres Tree Specialists – arborists that are fully licensed, insured and certified to take care of your trees.
Tags: arborists, failing trees, fallen tree limb, hurricane damage, leaning trees, Maryland, storm damage, tree and shrub specialists, tree doctor, tree report, uprooted trees, Washington DC
Posted in Damage, Storms, Tree & Shrub Care, Trees & Shrubs | Comments Off
Monday, August 29th, 2011
 Expert Tree Removal In the wake of Hurricane Irene, the Washington DC area remains littered with downed trees, limbs and branches. Wood Acres is busy helping with the cleanup. We’re sorry to say that many stately, old trees were destroyed. Fortunately, resulting injuries or deaths weren’t as many as feared in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene which struck this past weekend here.
Many people ask, “What if a neighbor’s tree fell on my property? It’s their tree, shouldn’t they be responsible for the cleanup and damage?”. The area jurisdictions are stating that toppled trees on private property would not be removed by the counties or the District and trees that have fallen on private property are the responsibility of the property owner.
If you have a toppled tree – whether yours or your neighbor’s – call your own insurance company and a private tree removal service, like Wood Acres Tree Specialists. The County’s Office of Consumer Protection advises homeowners to deal with established businesses only. Beware of out-of-the-area tree crews going door to door with chainsaws. Many are unlicensed and uninsured – and can cost you more money, more damage or personal liability if something goes wrong. Consumer Protection can be reached at 240-777-3636 if you have questions. Wood Acres Tree Specialists is licensed, insured, and certified for the most dangerous tree removals and undergoes rigorous safety training.
If a tree has fallen on power lines call the power company. If you smell gas or have a broken water main call your utility company.
- Do not touch fallen or low-hanging wires of any kind under any circumstances. Stay away from puddles with wires in or near them. Do not touch trees or other objects in contact with power lines.
- Call police or your utility companies immediately to report hazards such as downed power lines, broken gas or water mains or overturned gas tanks.
Hurricane season ends in November, so please hold onto your sandbags and our number for emergency tree service 1-888-464-3926 – just in case.
Tags: arborists, failing trees, fallen tree limb, hurricane damage, Maryland, storm damage, tree doctor, trees, uprooted trees, Washington DC
Posted in Damage, Storms, Trees & Shrubs | Comments Off
Thursday, August 11th, 2011
When you find downed tree limbs
You’re taking a stroll around your yard and you notice a big tree limb in the the back yard that wasn’t there a couple days ago. A look around the neighborhood tells the tale: the latest storm brought down several tree limbs of all sizes. Why do some tree limbs just bend with the wind and weather when others break? What about the big limb overhanging your house right now?
Weak Branch Unions
Branch unions are categorized as either strong or weak. Strong branch unions have upturned branch bark ridges at branch junctions. Annual rings of wood from the branch grow together with annual rings of wood from the stem, creating a sound, strong union all the way into the center of the tree.
A weak branch union occurs when a branch and stem (or two or more co-dominant stems) grow so closely together that bark grows between them, inside the tree. The term for bark growing inside the tree is “included bark.” The more bark included in the tree, the weaker the union and greater chance that it will fail.
In storm damage surveys conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Forest Resources Department, 21 percent of all landscape trees that failed in windstorms failed at weak branch unions of co-dominant stems. Some species are susceptible to having included bark: European mountain ash, green ash, hackberry, boxelder, willow, red maple, silver maple, Amur maple, cherry and littleleaf linden.
Epicormic Branches
Epicormic branches (also called sucker branches or water sprouts) are formed as a result of bad pruning, injury or environmental stress. They are shallowly attached instead of attached to the center of the stem. Epicormic branches are new branches that replaced injured, pruned or declining branches. You can see epicormic branches formed on the stems and branches of topped trees. Sprouting is common with borer damage. Look for D-shaped holes higher up on the tree. They do not appear along the lower trunk until the tree is nearly dead.When old, large and heavy epicormic branches are growing on decaying stems or branches, the epicormics are very likely to fail.
Weak unions that are also cracked, cankered or decayed are even likely to fail – more limbs in the yard.
Safety First
For safety’s sake, don’t try to inspect that lofty limb yourself. The tree business is very dangerous and experts, like Wood Acres Tree Specialists, should be consulted. We employ stringent safety and performance standards when analyzing your trees’ structure and taking steps to improving their strength and reduce hazard.
Tags: arborists, fallen tree limb, Maryland, pruning, storm damage, tree and shrub specialists, tree doctor, Washington DC, weak branches
Posted in Cabling & Bracing, Pruning, Storms, Trees & Shrubs | Comments Off
Saturday, January 8th, 2011
 Winter Weight on Trees and Shrub With the cold, snowy weather upon us in Maryland and Washington, DC, Wood Acres starts receiving calls from customers concerned about splitting or fallen trees. (Memories of the 2010 Snowmageddon are still fresh) Some species are definitely more susceptible to the added weight of ice and snow more than others.
Previously we discussed the white pine problem – fast-growing trees favored by unknowing homeowners who want quick shade but instead end up with a brittle monster prone to breakage in storms. The white pine often develops weak, v-shaped crotches that easily split apart under heavy participation and high winds.
Besides avoiding fast-growers in the landscape you take care with multiple leader trees and conifers. Multiple leader, upright evergreens, like arborvitae and juniper, and multiple leader or clump trees, such as birch, are most subject to snow and ice damage. Smaller trees need to be wrapped and larger trees with wide-spreading leaders should be cabled.
TIP: You can secure your smaller multiple leader trees with strips of carpet, strong cloth or nylon stockings two-thirds of the way above the weak crotches. You can also connect large Bungee Cords (elastic ropes with hooks on either end) at the hardware (make sure it’s supportive but not too tight). Remove the wrappings during spring to avoid binding new growth and girdling limbs and trunk.
Wood Acres Tree Specialists provide professional cabling/bracing services to protect your trees and shrubs. To have a healthy, intact landscape next Spring make sure to contact our certified arborists before your weak tree or bush becomes permanently damaged or downed in a winter storm.
Tags: arborists, ice damage, Maryland, snow damage, storm damage, tree and shrub specialists, trees, Washington DC
Posted in Cabling & Bracing, Damage, Storms, Trees & Shrubs | Comments Off
Friday, December 10th, 2010
 Have Wood Acres Analyze Your Trees' Health Are your trees ready for winter? After the past year’s storms they may have been weakened and could fail.
Wood Acres Tree Specialists offers the Tree Structure Evaluation/Risk Assessment Report for a homeowner’s peace of mind. It contains the following data:
- tree species
- size
- species failure profile
- evaluation of location and site of tree
- visual tree analysis
- wood rot-decay analysis
- risk rating
- interpretation of evaluation
- remedial treatments
We can’t guarantee a tree won’t be taken down by severe, unpredictable weather but if your trees are showing any dangerous signs now you will be aware and can do something now before disaster happens.
Your report will be prepared by one of our certified arborists so you can be assured that it’s based on highly educated experience and scientific techniques.
Your valuable trees add so much to your property in beauty and the environment – but trees have liabilities associated with them. Be smart – the key to reducing those liabilities is to recognize when a tree becomes hazardous and take steps to correct or eliminate the hazard.
Should you have any unforeseen problems this winter, call Wood Acres Tree Specialists for Emergency Care. As a professional tree care company we employ the highest safety standards available and carry personal, property, and workers compensation insurance so you are protected. The average tree removal requires $100,000-$500,000 worth of equipment on site – we’re prepared to remove trees and stumps both large and small. If you have trees on your property, rely on Wood Acres Tree Specialists – we’re committed to being the best tree service in Montgomery County, Maryland and NW-DC .
Tags: arborists, Maryland, storm damage, stress, tree report, trees, Washington DC
Posted in Storms, Tree & Shrub Care | Comments Off
Friday, August 6th, 2010
 Wood Acres Tree Specialists recently received information from Wayne Knoll, City Forester of Rockville, MD. He was discussing the recent severe storms that had downed so many deciduous trees in his area of management and made an interesting observation:
According to Mr. Knoll,Rockville has approximately 28,000 street trees on 160 miles of street. His current budget allows for pruning all streets on about a 12-year cycle. During the February storm events, his office received approximately 200 reports of tree or limb failures. (Many of these failures were associated with evergreen trees, mostly white pine, in parks and on landscaped berms adjacent to major roadways. Since evergreens are more prone to failure due to excessive snowfall whether or not they have been recently pruned, he excluded these from his data). All trees listed below are deciduous street trees of various species and size. The majority of the failures were on maple species.
Of the 200+ tree related calls we received, 114 were for deciduous trees located in the City right-of-way along neighborhood streets. The vast majority of these were for partial tree failure with only a few whole tree failures.
- Street trees that received routine maintenance pruning within the past five years incurred 19 of the known failures.
- Street trees that have not received routine maintenance pruning for at least 6 years incurred 95 of the known failures.
Thus, 84% of the reported damage occurred on trees that have not received routine maintenance pruning for six or more years.
So, if you would like to significantly reduce your property’s tree failures during storm events, thus saving time, money and reducing liability talk to us about regular maintenance for your trees – and keep them beautiful longer.
Tags: Maryland, storm damage, stress, trees, Washington DC
Posted in Damage, Pruning, Tree & Shrub Care | Comments Off
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