disaster recovery

As Hurricane Isaias wreaks havoc on the Eastern Seaboard, landscapers know that once the dust settles, they’ll be involved in clean-up activities on client properties. And while some practices are cut and dry, tree evaluation can be a tougher issue. Since not all trees damaged in storms need to be removed, how can you tell if an affected tree can be restored? Can It Be Saved? According to the downloadable Tree Care Kit from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the good news is that “trees have an amazing ability to recover from storm damage.” Here are areas they say to assess: Are major limbs broken? If most of the main branches are gone, the tree may have little chance of surviving. Has the leader (the main upward-trending branch on most trees) been lost? In species where a leader is important to upward growth or a desirable appearance, saving the tree may have to be a judgment call. The tree may live without its leader, but at best it would be a stunted or deformed version of the original. Is at least 50% of the tree’s crown still intact? This is a good rule of thumb on tree survivability. How big are the wounds where branches have been broken or bark has been damaged? The larger the wound is in relation to the size of the limb, the less likely it is to heal, leaving the tree vulnerable to disease and pests. A 2″ to 3″ wound on a 12″ diameter limb ...