tree maintenance

A truck, chainsaw, and ambition isn’t enough when it comes to tree maintenance.

As the leaves fall, I’ll go out on a limb and guess you’ve put off taking care of those dead tree limbs you noticed last spring. Frankly, lots of us put off arboreal concerns until we get a storm warning, like the one last week before Hurricane Joaquin hit landfall. At that point, there’s really no time to take care of deadfall concerns before the deluge hits, and many of us just have to hope and pray that high velocity winds won’t bring something big crashing down on the roof or auto parked in the drive.

The thing is, a good, affordable arborist is almost an endangered species. To attempt to save money, some property owners might hire “their friend’s cousin” or another unqualified worker who shows up with their truck, a chainsaw, and a desire to list “green firewood” for sale online.

When we work with unqualified workers, we could be creating an area of risk in our environment, when we’re motivated by a desire to do the opposite. If a bargain seems too good to be true, or you’re encouraged to rush to judgment, then caution should be employed instead of the worker.

Though a certified arborist may be a little pricier than a random guy who shows up in a truck with a day laborer in tow, the reduction of risk can be worth it. Certified arborists will likely have the following types of qualifications:

Certification by the International Society of Arboriculture
A business entity with a physical address and phone number
Interest in saving your trees and protecting your property value and appeal
Former clients who attest to their skill, honesty, and work quality
Proof of Liability Insurance for personal and property damage for yourself and your neighbors
Worker’s Compensation

As we head into a North Carolina winter, with the high probability of ice and snow accumulations ahead, I encourage you to take the time and effort to take care of any tree problems you’ve ignored up until now. October gives you just enough time to take down those dead limbs before first frost.