Many of us have suffered losses and damages to our trees as result of the record-breaking snowfall this season. Now comes the task of doing something about it. Here are some points to keep in mind when addressing the issue of tree damage from snow.

Bent Trees

Many trees have bent over under the weight of the snow. In some cases when we remove the snow from the boughs, the tree returns slowly toward its original upright position. However, things have happened to the wood fiber that will remain factors for the tree. The fibers on the outside of the bend have been put under tension, and the fibers on the inside have been put under compression. This will make it more likely that the tree will bend in the same way if forces act upon it in the same way. But if force is placed in the opposite direction the tree is now more likely to break because the compression wood will become tension wood and not have the elasticity to handle it.

In some cases the root structures of the trees have been torn. This is evident when you look at the base of the tree. If the angle of the trunk of the tree has changed, then there has been tearing of the roots underground. This situation is very likely to lead to future failure, and tree removal should be a consideration.

Broken Branches

You may notice that some trees have lost branches at various places in the canopy. In most cases, this can be addressed by making good tree pruning cuts that will promote healing during the growing season. Any loose branches should be removed, and clean cuts made. An arborist can help you to determine if the branch loss is severe enough to kill the tree.

Getting Rid of Debris

With all of the branch debris that is scattered around from the storm, there is opportunity to help the surviving trees. If the debris is processed through a wood chipper, the chips that are made are good material to use as mulch. Mulching will be especially helpful this spring because of the increased water that will be present as the snow melts. Our soil is most certainly going to be at field capacity, meaning that it will be saturated with water to its full capacity. In fact, in a lot of cases there will be flooding. This can compromise the anchoring function that the soil has and lead to trees falling over. A mulch layer over the soil in the trees’ root zone can increase the field capacity of that soil, helping the soil to preserve its anchoring function for the trees.

Recently, while working on a tree removal project in Arlington, Virginia, I bumped into a technician from the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation named Karsten Ziemann. Mr. Ziemann said that he was particularly happy to be doing his job that day. "Usually I'm killing things, but today I get to plant things!" he exclaimed. He went on to explain to me that his department is endeavoring to reclaim some of the county's park space from non-native invasive weeds. To accomplish this, Mr. Ziemann and his colleagues are planting specimens of the native variety of underbrush to compete with the non-natives. One might wonder why such an effort would be made to control weeds. Before you write to your elected official about wasting tax dollars, let me assure you that this is a good thing! Invasive non-native weeds (especially vines) are a serious threat to the native species of trees that we enjoy here. In fact, researchers at Cornell University have estimated an annual cost to our nation's economy at $120 billion.

Let's back up for a moment. How can weeds be such a problem? After all, they're plants - producers of oxygen, green, flowering, carbon-consuming, animal-feeding.... our friends, right? The problem is that some species are newcomers to our region and, when allowed to go unchecked, become quite disruptive to the local ecology. So, just as we have introduced them to our area, we should manage them if we are to be good stewards of our ecosystem. Non-native plant species can eventually overwhelm the native species by crowding them out and over-consuming nutrients and light. The result is an unnatural change in the growth of our urban forest. Simply put, the trees that make Northern Virginia so beautiful can lose their homefield advantage and become endangered.

After speaking with my new friend in Arlington, I thought to myself how the Arlington Parks situation applies to me and many of my clients as well. Many of us have a little piece of the urban forest right on our properties. We cherish the older native trees that were here when we moved in. They tower over our little oasis below, providing shade, peace, and an air of regency and heritage that only old trees can. Below them we add to the landscape with ornamental species that give a more eye-level gratification. Harmony is preserved so long as the new, under-canopy species are managed. However, sometimes it gets away from us and the new species begin to take over and overwhelm the forest. That is where intervention becomes necessary in order to bring balance back to the forest. The level of intervention is dependent upon how far the alien invasion has been permitted to progress.

Some of the most common offenders of this problem include English Ivy (Hedera helix), Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius), and Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). For the most part, they can all be permitted to share space in the landscape, but need management by pruning and the addition of native species to preserve balance.

For more information about this, visit the site for the National Invasive Species Awareness Week at www.nisaw.org.

I have often used the phrase "stuck in a tree" in response to the casual "What're you up to?" question. As I am a practicing tree climber with a busy schedule, it is probably the response that most who know me would expect. But those who know me also know that I am more happy to be "stuck" in a tree than in a lot of other places. Up there the air seems fresher, the view is better, and everything just seems to happen with more purpose and clarity than at the pedestrian level. So I suppose it would give the many teachers, counselors, professors, and friends who witnessed my erratic career path some comfort to know that I am finally happy up in my tree.

But in my time working in trees I have encountered some things "stuck in a tree" that are not nearly as at home as I. In my free time I have rescued plenty of children's objects that find their way into the canopies of trees - footballs, kites, dolls (victims of older brother's sling shot), etc. But lately even my work day has included tree rescues. Recently Pro Arbor responded to a distress call from a dismayed woman who's cat had spent three days in a pine tree after being chased by a dog. The cat's superior dexterity and speed had allowed his escape as he was able to claw his way 40 feet up the branchless trunk of a Virginia Pine and perch on one of the few branches at the top. Unfortunately for him, he could not figure out how to descend the trunk when his canine pursuer lost interest and went home for dinner. So up I went to retrieve him. The rescue involved getting the nervous and untrusting kitty to back himself into a crotch in a branch and hang on while I cut and lowered his portion of the branch to his owners below. Just today I rescued a radio-controlled airplane from the top of a 60 foot Ash tree. It seems that a reenactment of the Top Gun "buzzing the tower" scene ended in an embarassing crash.

Though it's not what a tree climber expects to be doing when reporting to work in the morning, these kinds of rescues provide a welcome new workday experience. And, of course, it's nice to be able to add a little sauce to the cliche "stuck in a tree."

Recently, my company started a tree removal project in Falls Church, VA. The homeowner called Pro Arbor after becoming frustrated over dealing with another company. That company (a small landscaping company) quoted a price in the beginning and, as the project got started, they realized that more labor and equipment was needed than they originally thought. So, instead of honoring the commitment made in the original proposal, the owner of the company stopped work and asked for more money. The scope of the work had not changed, but still the price was going up.

When I heard of this, I was reminded of a saying that my grandfather used, “If you think it’s expensive to hire professionals, you should try an amateur!” Throughout my years in business the meaning of this statement has become more clear. At first glance, it may appear costly to hire trained professionals to complete any task. But what is not clear at first glance is how costly it can be to hire the apparently cheaper amateur.

Amateurs do not always know what they’re getting into when they quote a price. So, as happened in the case just mentioned, sometimes they need to adjust the price as they go. This leaves the buyer in a difficult position, having no assurance or confidence in the final cost of the project. Sometimes the service provider will attempt to avoid this by simply charging an hourly or daily rate for the work. Again, the problem is that the buyer still has no clear idea of how much it will eventually cost.

Worse yet, sometimes the amateur will not adjust the price, but instead proceed with the project using an insufficient level of manpower and equipment. Knowing that a price adjustment will be unacceptable, he attempts to keep the job profitable by eliminating some of the more expensive overhead costs. This is when it can become very costly to the buyer. Some of the equipment used in tree work serves to make the work easier and go faster. But some of equipment and tools used are for safety. Performing tree work without this puts everyone at great risk. The cost of the project pales in comparison to the cost of property damage when corners are cut.

Another cost factor that is not often considered is the cost of following bad advice. Someone who is not trained in tree care may not know what is the best course to take in tree care. Improper pruning techniques can set a tree on a course that will be very expensive over time and could lead to its removal after spending much money on pruning. A good arborist will consider the future cost implications of what he or she does to a tree.

While professionals may have cost factors that put their price higher than the amateurs, it’s usually worth it when you consider the actual cost of the amateur.

We’ve all heard of trees blowing over in storms and landing in places that cause grief to homeowners, pedestrians, and motorists. Most of us have witnessed or been part of the frenzy that occurs after it happens as well. Often somebody in the neighborhood will offer to help with the cleanup because he’s got a great new chainsaw or a heavy duty truck that would be perfect for hauling the debris. It is this kind of spirit that makes a great neighborhood and a good neighbor. Getting outside, rolling up our sleeves, and getting our hands dirty is good for us and – let’s be honest – it’s really fun sometimes run chainsaws. Personally, I love the smell of 2 stroke oil in the morning.

But before rushing into something like this it is prudent to know exactly what you are up against. Recently my crew and I removed two trees in Northern, Virginia, that fell victims to Mother Nature’s winter winds. In both cases the trees were broken on their main stems causing the tops to fall toward the house. In both cases, though, the part of the tree that broke away did not reach its final resting point, getting hung up on obstacles on the way down. Upon arrival to the first tree I encountered the usual crowd of neighbors discussing how to cut the tree into pieces that could be carried away. All of them were missing the fact that the tree had not yet completed its fall and still posed quite a danger to everything and everyone around it. Although the first half of its fall probably took only seconds, it took two hours to set the rigging above and around the tree to manage the second half of its fall. Onlookers were quite surprised to see how many factors had to be considered and how many forces were acting upon the tree. Four rope systems were employed from four different directions to guide the tree to a safe place on the ground.

Although it is sometimes obvious that a fallen tree will be a complicated problem to solve, it is not always so. Sometimes the fallen giant can appear to be down and posing no more threat. Unfortunately, these are lures that entice the well-meaning do-it-yourselfer to rush in. Most often when trees come down they land in ways that create tremendous pressure on their limbs. Cutting into these limbs, a saw operator can be surprised by the violent release of that pressure. If caught standing in the wrong position when cutting, you can be struck, pinned, or even killed by quickly shifting loads. This is how the majority of injuries and fatalities happen in tree work.

There’s nothing wrong with firing up the chainsaw and going to work (provided you’ve learned basic chainsaw safety). But before you do, please have a professional examine the situation to see if there is something you may be missing. Pros are never offended by homeowners who want to do a little work themselves, but we’d all feel better knowing that it is safe to proceed.

I consider myself to be a very fortunate man. As is the case with most truly fortunate people, I am aware of my good fortune because I have not always been so. It took plenty of wrong turns and stumbles to get to where I am, but having seen the inauspicious alternatives to my present condition along the way, I am able to see my life for the blessing that it is. In fact, on some days I am even inspired to write about the things that I get paid to do. Last Thursday was one such day.

I started like most other days with a cup of coffee and a drive to the yard where I would hand out work orders to the crews and accompany one of them to their jobsite to supervise and assist. The crews perform all kinds of tree care and tree removal services, and I usually decide which project to join based on the difficulty of the different tickets. Today’s tasks all seemed to be quite manageable without my help, so I decided to take one for myself to cut out some time and travel for one of the crews. It was a pruning job on Elmwood Drive in Alexandria, VA. So I took a truck and my climbing gear went there by myself.

When I got there I was immediately impressed by the tree. A Red Maple, it stood in the center of a small lawn in front of the house and spread evenly and gracefully over the street, driveway, and partly over the house. It had nice angles for the most part, giving it an open inner canopy. With no leaves on the tree it was easy to see all branches and work up a plan from the ground (one of the many reasons that winter is the best season for pruning).

I took my time placing my climbing line on the tallest central leader in the tree. With nobody watching it always seems easier to set the line. With my saddle on and no gizmos or chainsaws to weigh me down, I ascended into the canopy with ease. Halfway up I paused where I would position to make my first cut, a secondary drooping limb that would be removed for clearance of utility lines to the house. It was here that I became aware of what a beautiful day this was. Unseasonably warm for mid January, the air had that crisp, sterile taste that is only there in winter when there are no pollens, spores, barbeques, or sweat in the air. With each move throughout the canopy, I would pause again to absorb the beauty of the day, the serenity of the moment, and the blessing that allows me to do something so inspiring for a living.

Climbing trees may not be for everyone, but for me it is the perfect way to spend a day. Now that I get to do it I realize how lucky I am to have a job that I appreciate so much. I did not always feel this way about work. It used to be downright difficult to get up and go to work at times. But, since I can clearly remember the times when work was a bother, I now appreciate fully that it is a joy.

I hope that you can find the joy and fulfillment that I have from work. If you do not have it now the good news is this: when you find it you will appreciate it more because of the time that you spent without it.