As trees mature in your landscape, it’s important to keep an eye out for defects or possible hazards that might jeopardize the health of your trees. Also, “to ensure your family and friends have a safe environment in which to enjoy the beauty and many benefits of your backyard woods, you can learn to recognize hazardous defects in trees and take corrective actions.” (Indiana Department of Natural Resources)

“All trees have some sort of risk involved with it. They are living organisms that are endangered by environmental impacts and pests. However, it is important to create a balance between the risk a tree may pose and the benefits provided by the tree.” (Purdue University) Inspection and risk assessment is key to mitigating any future hazardous issues with your landscape.

Some common signs of tree failure include (Purdue University):

Dead, diseased, dying or broken branches.
Thinning or poor canopy health.
An unstable branching pattern overextended or weakly attached branches, or cracks in the stems.
Cracks or decayed areas in the main trunk.
Exposed or decayed roots, heaving of the soil, fungus growth or cracks in the soil around the root plate.

“If a high-risk situation exists, there are four recommended options for correcting the problem: move the target, prune the tree, convert the tree to a wildlife tree, or remove the tree.” (Indiana Department of Natural Resources) Preventative pruning and moving the target are things a homeowner can do as needed, but large pruning jobs and removal should always be handled by a professional.

“Recurrent inspections to determine tree health and condition are important for sustainable, long-lived tree plantings. The most important factor for any tree owner is know when to contact an ISA Certified Arborist who understands tree risk assessment.” (Purdue University)

Browning Tree Service employs Joshua Browning ISA certified arborist license #KY-9849A who is a proud member of Indiana Arborist Association and International Society of Arboriculture, serving the West Lafayette and Lafayette, Indiana area!

Resources:

https://www.arboristnow.com/news/The-Top-6-Most-Common-Tree-Issues-How-to-Solve-Them

https://www.purdue.edu/fnr/extension/how-to-identify-tree-defects-and-what-to-do-about-it/

https://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/04_Identify_and_Manage.pdf