Trees can be wonderful additions to any property, adding that touch of nature needed to create a visually welcoming environment. As living things, however, trees do require some care and attention. From regular pruning to inspections for decay, overlooking these maintenance tasks can put your property at risk, with a tree becoming steadily more likely to fall into the property itself. In this article from Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology, you can discover how tree risk assessments can be used to ensure your trees remain in good health.
What is a tree risk assessment?
A tree risk assessment is carried out to survey the condition of a tree, helping specialists to identify defects that could later result in an accident or hazard. An expert will look for specific concerns in particular, helping them determine the immediacy of an issue and how any problems need to be resolved.
Who carries out tree risk assessments?
For a thorough tree risk assessment, it’s important to always employ experts. Specialists known as arboriculturalists have expertise and knowledge about the maintenance of trees and shrubs, making them qualified to investigate the level of risk a tree poses to a property and its other surroundings.
What issues can a tree risk assessment identify?
If you have a tree on your property, it might be worthwhile to discover more about its condition and whether it poses a risk to your building. In this section, you can discover some of the problems a tree risk assessment can unearth, from rot and decay to underground root issues.
Structural Weakness
When an expert carries out a home survey, they’ll often look for structural issues such as cracks that signify there is something awry with the property’s structure, impacting whether it is stable and safe to live in. When it comes to tree risk assessments, a similar step is taken to check stability and structural integrity. The expert will look for cracks and splits, which show something has caused damage that has impacted the structure of the tree.
Construction Damages
To keep a home or property functional and updated, it’s often important to have construction work carried out. From renovations to repairs, construction work can be quite invasive, and in some cases can result in damage to the plant life on your property. This includes any trees you have, so if you fear damage may have been caused as a result of construction work it may be best to seek a tree survey carried out by the experts.
Decay and Disease
One concern many overlook is the health of their tree in terms of decay and disease. Trees can quickly become unwell, impacting the way they function overall. An expert arboriculturalist should be able to provide advice and recommendations if decay or disease is discovered, helping to prevent the risks it currently poses to your home or other property.
It’s important to note decay can often be found inside a tree or within its roots, so while many forms of decay are immediately obvious, some types of decay can go unnoticed. Cavities inside of a tree caused by decay can lead to trees unexpectedly collapsing. An expert arboriculturalist should be able to identify internal decay, as well as external decay. After discovery, the expert can then provide recommendations and advice for improving tree health, helping you to ensure your property stays safe.
Pests
Many animals naturally find habitats in trees, making it their home. Most creatures do so without intrusion, however, certain species can have a damaging effect on a tree. One harmful species found in the UK is known as the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle, a pest that mostly lives on dead trees but can spread to living ones.
This eight-toothed spruce bark beetle causes damage during its reproduction process, where eggs laid within crafted galleries inside the tree hatch and the subsequent larvae create pupal chambers. These chambers harm the channels within the tree, damaging its ability to transport the nutrients and water it needs to survive. Additionally, if this damage wasn’t bad enough, these beetles can sometimes carry a pathogenic fungus which can discolour the tree bark, impacting its appearance.
Other species of pests to watch out for include:
Elm zig-zag sawflies
Great spruce bark beetles
Horse chestnut leaf miners
Oriental chestnut gall wasps
Oak processionary moths
Root Problems
The roots are a key part of the tree’s anatomy, essential to keeping it strong and upright. The roots can become weakened, however, due to environmental issues such as compacted soil and surface rooting. These problems are known for restricting the affected tree’s ability to grow and strengthen itself properly. A weakened base can lead to further problems for a tree, often increasing its risk of falling.
Proximity to Structures
As with any plant, trees will continue to grow when in good health. Unfortunately, trees can grow closer to structures and electrical lines, interfering with their function, if left unchecked. An expert arboriculturalist can determine whether the tree is growing too close and becoming a risk to the structure.
Weather Damage
After storms and other types of extreme weather, your tree might become damaged. While many times of weather damage is obvious, sometimes the damage is deep-rooted, hidden beneath the surface. A professional can discover this type of damage, determining how it will impact your property in future.
Types of damage caused by weather can include drought stress, where long periods of drought have prevented the tree from obtaining water successfully. A lack of water can have disastrous impacts on a tree, drying it out severely and making it more vulnerable to structural failure. If you have experienced long periods of drought in your area, it may be worthwhile to call in the experts to check if your tree has survived in good health.
Why are tree surveys important?
Tree surveys are a key aspect of a property owner’s responsibilities, helping to keep a property protected from the risks a sick tree can pose. In this section, you can discover the reasons why tree surveys are important for all properties with trees on-site.
Protection for Your Property
Worrying about your property can be overwhelming, with fears of burglaries and fires plaguing you as you go about your life. One thing you shouldn’t need to worry about, therefore, is the risk of your tree harming your building by falling. Tree surveys can be used to help you feel confident in the strength and durability of your tree, removing one worry about your home.
Tree Health
Beautiful additions to both rural and urban properties, trees need looking after to remain aesthetically pleasing and to last a long lifetime. Just as with humans, it’s important to look out for signs of illness and to address the conditions quickly with the help of an expert.
Prevents Surprise Costs
Letting your trees get out of control can lead to major issues that will need to be addressed later on. Spiralling issues can steadily become more and more expensive to fix, leading to costly repairs to your home and the removal of your trees. To keep ahead of expensive resulting issues, it’s best to stay informed about your trees at all times.
Safety
Damaged trees can be dangerous, with loose materials falling off and potentially harming those living inside the property. Large trees can also fall into a home, causing damage directly to the property and leading to expensive repairs that are difficult to afford. Falling trees can pose a risk to your loved ones too, potentially striking them as the tree falls, so it’s essential to keep ahead of these risks with an informative tree survey.
How can Lizard Landscape Design help?
Based in Worthing, Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology are here to help you with all of your landscaping and tree care needs. Our arboriculturalists are experts in tree care, taking pride in our customers to ensure the trees found on their property are healthy and pose no risks to their homes.
Our Arboriculture Services
Interested in arranging for a tree survey to be carried out on your property? At Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology, we can offer you multiple services related to trees, ensuring all your arboricultural needs are met. To benefit from these services today, please reach out directly to our team to find out more.
Reach Out to Us
Interested in sourcing tree risk assessment for the experts? Please visit our website to learn more about our work and our services at Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology. Alternatively, please contact us directly for a quote.