Storms are claiming too many trees

Q. A lot of trees came down around my neighborhood in the last big storm. Is there anything I can do to keep my trees safe, and is it allowed to put in wire tie-downs to keep my trees tethered during a storm?

A. The recent storm that took down so many trees across the region was an expensive lesson to many who may never expect worse-case scenarios. Trees fall ... into another related category. Their strength is based on the anchorage depth of their root system, their mass and their ability to allow wind to pass through.

Before you go putting guy lines and stakes all over the place, consider the fact that the ability to work with the elements is a part of a tree's inherent nature. Working with that nature allows the tree to blend in and adjust to the elements to survive. Helping a tree do that is much more in keeping with the ability of a tree to stand against the elements.

I believe it is better to trim the tree's inner, conflicting branches, the ones that grow into each other around the main trunk. It's also a good idea to keep branches clear of roofs and power lines. The upper canopy of the tree will spread and grow, while the whole tree gains strength from not having to support more branches.

If you step back and look at the tree's shape, you can tell if the upper branches are causing the tree to be top-heavy. Imagine the same tree in an ice storm, when the branches are weighed down with ice.

Bradford pear and maple trees send out several branches from the same area of the trunk, for example, and when they're all left to grow, they tangle and stress the trunk. That's where you can expect the tree to break in heavy ice or wind. It's better to hire a knowledgeable tree expert to properly trim the tree than to lose it.

Trees should be trimmed approximately every three or four years. I'm sure most trees have never been trimmed, so I doubt that tree service telephones will be ringing off the hook for trimming -- but they'll be ringing like crazy when the next storm does more predictable damage. Many people opt not to spend the more costly tree-trimming dollars, but will ultimately spend the lesser amount to clear their damaged tree from their yard.

Since it takes so many years for a tree to grow, not recognizing the value of a tree before it's too late is penny-wise and pound-foolish. Trim the tree rather than stake it. While I don't know of any rules limiting the use of guy wires, the stakes and wires can be dangerous to anyone who doesn't see them in time. It may open you up to liability you didn't plan on, even from a trespasser. Good luck!

© 2010 Monte Leeper
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