In the News

 

Safeguard Your Property by Trimming Your Trees

By Daily News Staff Reports
nwfdailynews.com
June 5, 2008
 

When a hurricane hits, falling trees and branches are a major cause of damage. But homeowners can prevent the worst with a little bit of maintenance.

“The main thing is looking at any dangerous situations you might have,” said Rob Williamson, an ISA Certified Arborist and the owner of Trees Plus, which has worked in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties since 1992.

Williamson said there are some basic rules property owners should follow to ensure their property is hurricane ready:
  • Limbs growing into powerlines should be trimmed back.
  • Dead, cracked or hazardous limbs should be removed.
  • Branches growing over their roof or any other structure should be trimmed back.
“Residents sometimes ask us to ‘top’ their trees before hurricane season. Topping damages the tree and will create a more hazardous situation two to five years after topping,” he said.

“Instead, we suggest thinning the canopy of our client’s trees. Thinned trees typically receive less damage in storms because they all more air to pass through the canopy. Trees that have undergone crown thinning are less prone to failure as the ‘drag’ has been reduced.

Williamson added that tree removal is a last resort at Trees Plus.

“Removing a tree is the last possible course of action,” he said, “Often times, with the proper diagnosis, the health of the tree can be restored or enhanced.”

Finding a licensed and insured company is also important, and customers should never be afraid to ask for references.

“I hate to say it but a lot of upstarts that come in after a storm give local outfits a bad name,” Williamson said.

Trees are an important part of the environment, but they can be a danger to property and people, so it’s important to have them looked at.
 
“It’s scary when people have a tree hanging over their house,” he said.

 

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Trees Plus is a full service tree and landscaping company, covering the needs of residential, commercial, municipal and military customers across Northwest Florida since 1992. Their services include Arborist consultations (land development tree preparation, construction site planning and tree appraisal services), shrub and tree pruning, tree installation, tree removal, landscaping, stump grinding, debris removal, land clearing, emergency tree care, and hurricane preparation and after storm care.

 

Their service area includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Pace, Mary Esther, Fort Walton Beach, Shalimar, Niceville, Crestview, Destin, Sandestin, and Miramar Beach in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton Counties, You can contact Trees Plus to request a tree estimate at 850-939-9979 or by email at info@treesplusonline.com. For up-to-date and information about tree related issues, follow Trees Plus on Facebook, Twitter, Rob's Blog, and YouTube.