The backbone of a Tree Company is its Arborists. Becoming certified is only the beginning of a career in Arboriculture. Arborists must be certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). You can find an Arborist near you by clicking here.
Experience, training, and education is what turns a certified Arborist into a great Arborist. At Boutte Tree Inc we strive to provide those things to our Arborists so we can bring the very best service to our customers. Our estimator/consultants are certified arborists, so the details of tree science and tree work can be explained to you when you receive your estimate. Often people are surprised when trees they thought would need to be removed can be saved, or when they learn exactly what kind of trimming their trees need and why. This valuable advice is not only useful in helping you make good, balanced decisions, it’s educational, too!
For example, did you know that trees, like almost all living organisms, fight off diseases and attacks by bugs and bacteria? Unlike animals however, trees never “heal” an infected part of themselves, they just wall off their sick parts and grow around them, effectively “sweeping their problems under the rug”! Trees that are rotten inside will always be rotten (or hollow) but that’s not always bad; a healthy tree will compartmentalize the rotten area with special protective layers of cells and just keep adding layers of wood around it.
Start talking with one of Boutte Tree’s Arborists and you could find yourself picking up little tidbits of information like that, making analogies between trees and people (some of these analogies could be a streeeeetch…), or getting into a lively exchange about recycling, city planning, public transit……just a fair warning. Arborists are a strange breed. Remember that most of them got into this business so that they could climb trees. Cheers!
Below are some of things a skilled Arborist can do for you besides quality trimming, pruning, tree removal, etc.
Arborist Services to Save Trees
Arborists should be excited and passionate about saving trees whenever that is a possibility. Making good decisions about trees isn’t easy. That’s why at Boutte Tree we emphasize education and science. Our certified arborists have the training and experience to explain how and more importantly, why a certain type of work is recommended.
A skilled Arborist will know what can reasonably be done to save a sick tree. There are many weapons in our arsenal to combat disease and restore a tree to good health.
We are specialists at analyzing unhealthy or declining trees or helping to save trees with structural problems or that pose a hazard to houses. The following is a list of the services we often recommend to people who wish to save a tree but are worried about it for one reason or another.
Crown Reduction (see Trimming): This is probably the most common service that we offer to clients who are worried that a tree has become too heavy and tall, and will blow over completely or simply lose branches in a storm. This is not the same thing as topping at all, crown reduction takes place further out on a tree and all cuts are made at branch unions where healing can take place. Most of the time the goal is to lessen the weight and wind resistance of the tree. The reduction can be only on one side of the tree, or all around it.
Cabling holds together co-dominant stems and prevents the tree from splitting. Once a cable is installed it can’t be removed because the tree becomes reliant on the extra support. In rare cases limbs can be braced from the bottom.
Fertilization and aeration can allow a tree that appears weak to have a better shot at survival. Aeration is the practice of perforating the soil around a tree so that air may reach the roots. For trees on especially compacted soils or with hard surfaces nearby, aeration holes filled with a porous material, and augmented by organic fungi-based fertilizers can do wonders for the trees’ root systems.
Disease diagnosis helps where it appears there is a definite, specific micro-organism or insect attacking the tree. In these cases, a chemical is usually prescribed to combat the attacker in conjunction with water, mulching, fertilizing, and other steps which promote overall vigor and aid the tree in fighting back. Not all attackers can be fought with chemicals, so there are times when removing a tree is the best solution.
Arborist Services Where There is a Foreseen Injury to Roots
Boutte Tree also offers professional arborist services to contractors, builders, landscapers, or homeowners who need to protect trees because of nearby construction where a tree will be subjected to a foreseen injury. We can usually save trees where up to 35% of the root plate must be sacrificed, though every tree is different. We comply with the Tree Ordinance of Atlanta, and for trees that are to be affected by construction we usually offer the following program:
- Root plate professionally cut no closer that necessary to the trunk, usually two feet deep for footing, but any distance is possible.
- Creation of a tree protection zone surrounding the tree at a radius of about a foot per caliper inch but in accordance with surroundings. This zone is fenced off with construction fencing. No activity or storage is allowed in the zone.
- Apply a mycorrihiza based fertilizer to the root system to maximize water and nutrient absorption. In cases where the ground has been compacted, use vertical mulching or air-spading to loosen the soil without damaging the roots.
- The tree protection area should be mulched if it isn’t already. More importantly, our service can include regular watering through construction. Eventually though, the owner must take over responsibility for this, bearing in mind that it may take trees several years to recover from construction.
- In order that the tree doesn’t become damaged unwittingly, Boutte Tree usually acts as an intermediary between the owner and every subcontractor who might potentially damage the tree. Our service includes talking with and explaining the goals of tree protection to the excavator, foundation pourer, etc. In addition, a sign is installed in a prominent location explaining the consequences of damaging the tree, entering the tree protection zone, etc.
Arborist Assistance in Appealing Permits and Other Semi-Legal Matters
Boutte Tree fills out applications for tree removal for free on behalf of owners who would like trees removed for whatever reason. We can tell you upon looking at a tree whether or not in our opinion the Atlanta City Arborist will approve the application, but of course we have no influence over their arborists’ professional opinions. Application for removal of dead or dying trees are generally approved, and if a tree is within 3 feet of a structure, or has obvious decay or other serious defects, the city arborists will generally give approval for a hazardous tree permit.
In the event that an application for tree removal is turned down, you can appeal the matter to the Atlanta Tree Commission with the evaluation of a certified arborist. Boutte Tree charges a base amount of $500 to appeal the matter. This includes a professional evaluation and submittal of the appeal, as well as making an appearance at the hearing on behalf of the owner. In cases where the tree requires extensive testing, the costs of testing are in addition to the base amount.
We do not assist with permits pertaining to construction or additions to houses, these permits are more easily procured by the building contractor.
There are other matters in which the services of an arborist can be useful. Disputes over the responsibility for fallen trees, evaluations of due diligence in caring for trees, or the assessment of the value of a tree or trees are areas where Boutte Tree may be able to assist you. Please call for more information.
Identification and Other Services
With our certified arborists, Boutte Tree can help you to identify trees. You can also check the following link for excellent lists of trees with photographs. Of course, these websites require you to enter in the name of the tree for a picture to appear, so you will need some idea of your tree to proceed.
If you are interested in assessing the age of a tree using dendrochronology (tree ring counting), here is an interesting and useful site you may want to check out:
