Tree Maintenance: Cleaning Up After Winter

Inspect for Hazards

Winter’s storms and high winds may have damaged or weakened some of the trees on your property. To avoid the possibility of personal injury and/or property damage, and to make sure your trees are in good shape for the spring and summer months ahead, please inspect have your grounds personnel or a professional tree-care service inspect trees for safety issues.

Look for hanging or loosely attached branches and split trunks. Remove hazardous branches first. If a branch is broken but firmly attached and not in danger of falling, prune the branch (see more about pruning below).

If a trunk is split down the middle, it may need to either be braced or removed. Consult with a professional tree-care service or arborist. Remember: never remove limbs that have electrical wires running through them; call your electricity provider instead.

Hiring an Arborist

An arborist is a tree specialist with the ability to care for a tree, remove it when necessary and perform emergency services after a storm. When hiring an aborist, make sure the person or company is licensed and insured for property damage, personal liability and workers’ compensation. Ask for a contract that includes an indemnification and hold harmless clause to protect the parish/school from claims resulting from the contractor’s negligence.

Obtain a Certificate of Insurance that names the parish/school, Pastor, the Diocese of Paterson and Bishop Arthur Serratelli as additional insured. Keep the certificate of insurance on file.

Pruning Trees

Pruning is the tree equivalent of a doctor’s visit: cleaning out dead branches and cutting back limbs to encourage growth. For flowering trees, prune upon completion of budding. For other types of trees, prune in the winter (usually in late winter or early spring) while the root system is dormant.

In order to minimize damage to the tree, be sure to use proper pruning method. Prune the inside branches to thin out a tree; avoid cutting off the top branches to reduce height (topping) and never cut random lateral branches to restrict width (tipping). Keep all tools sanitized to prevent the spread of disease. Focus on removing dead or dying branches and thinning out thick areas to facilitate air flow.
Trees that are too large to handle from the ground should be pruned by a professional tree-care service or an arborist.

Please note: the decision to cut down a try should not be made lightly and should be considered only after an attempt is made to save the tree, and after a second opinion is obtained from a certified tree specialist.

Know Your Trees

It helps to know which trees on your property are sturdy and which are more likely to be damaged in storms. For example, willows and poplars are softer and more likely to be injured.

Property Insurance

Each year we receive numerous calls to report downed trees following a severe storm. It is important to keep in mind that property insurance coverage does not extend to the removal of downed trees in the open. The only time coverage may be available for downed tree removal is when the tree actually falls and causes damage to a covered structure such as a rectory, school or church building.
Removing downed or compromised trees can be quite costly. Therefore, a comprehensive tree care plan can help reduce your organization’s exposure to an uninsured expense.

Online Directory

The International Society of Aboriculture (ISA) offers extensive information on tree maintenance, as well as an online directory of certified arborists: http://www.isa-arbor.com/

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