Trees enrich landowners’ properties and well-being. However, careless developers using heavy machinery near a property can rip away that enrichment. New construction efforts may sever the roots of your trees and cause irreparable—sometimes fatal—damage to them, even though they clearly stand on your land. Nevertheless, sustainable forestry practices can help you care for your trees and ensure they may continue to enhance your life.
Winchester, VA, residents can turn to Timber Works Tree Care for help with land and forestry management. Our team delivers the highest-quality services—such as emergency tree removal, trimming, and forestry mulching—for our clients. Additionally, we are licensed and liability-insured, so working with us protects you from injuries and accidents. For more information about our available tree services, visit us online or call (540) 692-9606!
Below, we outline a rationale for protecting your trees and some strategies for achieving this goal:
Why Should You Care?
Trees serve not only functional benefits (such as increased water, soil, and air quality) but also cosmetic ends. They beautify our lives and give us a greater sense of well-being, which may explain why having trees leads to an increase in property value up to 12%.
Yet damaged trees lose their functional and cosmetic benefits. On the contrary, damaged trees are often hazardous. As its health deteriorates and its ability to support itself is compromised, falling trees and branches threaten life and property.
What Can You Do?
While trees can suffer various damages due to property development efforts, root damage is the most detrimental to their health. Depending on the extent of the damage, a tree may never fully recover.
To prevent this outcome, try mapping out your trees’ critical root zones (or ask a professional arborist to do so). This zone contains the roots most integral to the tree’s health and structure. To draw it, measure the diameter of your tree in inches and project it in feet around the tree’s base. This rule establishes the critical root zone’s boundary.
After mapping the root zones, ask your neighbor or their developer to outline their development plan. Doing so can help you better understand how close heavy equipment will get to your property, and you can ensure the development plan avoids your trees’ critical root zones. Voice your concerns and get involved with the property development plan if it wanders near your trees.
Damage Mitigation
While some tree damage may prove difficult to prevent, staying vigilant about their condition post-development can mitigate risks. Use sustainable forestry practices—such as watering, mulching, and professional tree care—to improve and protect their health. You should also note the canopy’s condition. If significant damage has occurred, the presence of injured or falling branches will indicate that.
Do not hesitate to contact a certified arborist for a professional tree risk inspection and any subsequent care. They may recommend specific sustainable forest management practices like pruning services or, for damage beyond repair, a safe and quick emergency tree removal service.
Tree Care Services Available in Winchester, Virginia!
For concerns about the health and safety of your trees in Winchester, VA, turn to Timber Works Tree Care. Our team is committed to leveraging sustainable forestry practices and keeping your property safe with the highest-quality services. Visit us online or call (540) 692-9606 for a free project consultation today!
