Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Is Tree Removal Necessary?

Trees are a precious commodity for residence of Austin, TX. Due to the climate and sometimes shallow soil, it can take a lot of years to successfully grow a tree to adulthood. Sadly, many do not make it. This is why mature trees are such a treasure for property owners and the city and the surrounding Hill Country. Tree removal is sadly sometimes unavoidable. If you have hired a tree trimmer in Austin, TX that suggests tree removal, double check to make sure that it is completely necessary before you follow through and get rid of what many Austinites consider a state treasure.
The first thing you should find out is if your tree trimmer is actually a certified Arborist or just some guys with chainsaws and a truck. A certified Arborist must have at least three years experience and successfully passed many rigorous tests from the International Society of Arboriculture. A certified Arborist should also have a degree in Forestry from an accredited school. If you live in Austin or another Texas city, look for an Arborist that practices urban Forestry.
Arborists should have an intense desire and passion for saving trees. Many people refer to Arborists as tree doctors or tree surgeons. They are extensively trained in the care, maintenance and safety of trees. If you hire an Arborist for tree services in Austin, be sure that they are intimately familiar with native Texas trees. It is usually possible to save a tree as opposed to removing it.
If a certified Arborist tells you that you need to remove a tree, it is okay to ask for a second opinion before letting them remove it. Be sure that removal is your only option when you are talking about getting rid of what many consider to be a life-long investment and treasure.
Many times you may be able to treat your trees for infestation, disease or even move a tree that is in an unfavorable location. Arborists can determine if tree trimming could lessen the weight and save a weak tree. Keeping a tree strong sometimes means thinning it out so that the main branches can receive all of the trees nutrients for a while. Because tree maintenance can be an ongoing process, you want to hire a reputable Arborist to be sure you are consistently getting the proper care for and management of your trees.
Remember, when hiring someone for tree trimming Austin, make sure that you get an Arborist that cares about the preservation of trees and will treat your tree as if it were their own.

About the Author: Andrew Johnson is the owner of Central Texas Tree Care, a leading tree service provider in Central Texas (Travis County and surrounding areas) offering services such as pruning and removals, cabling and bracing as well as arborist reports, diagnostics, pest management, fertilization and Austin tree service trusts. For more information please visit http://www.centraltexastreecare.com.

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Friday, August 15, 2008

Dendrochronology: Tree Trimming Austin TX

Many people require Austin tree service to maintain or remove trees on their property. If you are having a tree removed, you may be curious about the tree’s age. Dendrochronology uses trees rings to figure out the tree’s age. If you would like to know more about dendrochronology, read on!
Many people have heard that you can count the rings of a cut tree and determine its age. But why is this true? Does each ring actually represent a year of the tree’s life? Not exactly. The sun has different levels of activity that affects weather patterns here on earth. The climate fluctuations change the color of the rings, thus making it possible for scientists to pinpoint the exact year of the trees birth.
The rings can sometimes indicate one full year if the climate changes enough between summer and winter to cause a ring to form. This happens when a tree has a rapid growth season followed by a slow growth season. If the tree is growing in a climate that consistently changes with the seasons, then the rings will actually represent one year each.
Sometimes there will be multiple rings for one year. If there is a lot of rain, then the tree will grow a wide ring. If there is a drought, then the ring may be very slender. If conditions alternate between wet and dry in one year, then many rings can form during that time period. This is how scientists can use tree rings to see what past weather patterns must have looked like.
Trees do not necessarily need to be cut down to be dated. Samples can be drilled out of the tree and the sample can be used to measure growth. If multiple rings for one year are suspected, scientists will sometimes use an average size of the rings to get an approximate age. Core samples from other trees can help determine the exact age of another tree. If they can pinpoint a certain climatic event and narrow down a tree sample’s ring to a precise year, then they can use it to help date another tree that may not have such a defined pattern.
If you live in a mostly arid climate, such as Austin, TX, you should be able to fairly accurately date your own trees. Humidity and moisture surges can make it harder to accurately determine a tree’s age without many regional samples. So, if you live in Austin, you can count the tree rings from your tree and be fairly confident that you have an accurate age for your tree.


About the Author: Andrew Johnson is the owner of Central Texas Tree Care, a leading tree service provider in Central Texas (Travis County and surrounding areas) offering services such as pruning and removals, cabling and bracing as well as arborist reports, diagnostics, pest management, fertilization and Austin tree service trusts. For more information please visit http://www.centraltexastreecare.com.

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