Tree Care
Phytophthora Root Rot: The Tree Disease That Sometimes Looks Like Drought
It’s only natural to grab a garden hose when you see one of your trees looking parched. But if your tree is suffering from Phytophthora
Sometimes a pair of pruners or a chainsaw just won’t cut it — you need the kind of expertise only an ISA-certified arborist can bring to the table. That’s exactly where RTEC Treecare comes in. Our team of certified arborists is ready to keep your trees vibrant, healthy, and safe.
Whether you need disease diagnostics or cabling and bracing services, our ISA-certified arborists are ready to step in with the guidance and hands-on support you’re looking for.
Not everyone who picks up a chainsaw knows what they’re doing — but anyone can slap the word “arborist” on a business card. ISA-certified arborist, though? That takes real effort. We’re talking years of hands-on experience, a tough and detailed exam, and a commitment to ongoing education just to keep the credential.
That’s why it carries so much weight for homeowners, property managers, and municipal staff. It instantly separates the pros from everyone else. And given how much trees contribute to a property — and how much damage they can cause when something goes wrong — having a true expert in your corner is absolutely worth it.
RTEC Treecare's arborists work from 2828 Mary St in Merrifield, about five miles from the Ballston and Clarendon corridors and roughly a twelve-minute drive along Wilson Boulevard. Arlington sits just across the line from our home turf, well within the area we cover. For assessment work that can require a return visit or a follow-up report, being this close keeps the process practical rather than drawn out.
Arlington is also a jurisdiction with its own tree rules, and getting those right is half of what a good arborist brings to a property here.
Arlington is not part of Fairfax County. It is its own county government, in fact the smallest self-governing county in the United States by area, with about 238,643 residents across roughly 26 square miles. That makes it one of the densest jurisdictions in Virginia, a tight mix of single-family homes, rowhouses and apartments where big mature trees often stand close to houses, property lines and the public right-of-way. The county's tree canopy was measured at 35.2 percent in a 2023 assessment, against a stated goal of 40 percent.
Density and a county-run tree program together shape what an arborist has to know before touching a tree here.
Arlington's baseline is the same as most of Virginia: no permit is required to remove a tree on private property in most cases. The reason people still get caught is the set of exceptions, which are broader than Fairfax County's and easy to trip over on a dense Arlington lot.
If your property is in one of Arlington's Local Historic Districts, removing a tree over fifteen inches in diameter needs approval from the Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board. If your lot lies within a hundred feet of a stream, it is likely in a Resource Protection Area under the Chesapeake Bay rules, where removal needs the county's permission. The county can also designate individual trees as Heritage, Memorial or Specimen trees, after which removal requires a formal finding of overriding need or severe hardship, with civil penalties running up to twenty-five hundred dollars. And any land-disturbing project over 2,500 square feet triggers a landscape plan, prepared with an arborist, that has to provide 20 percent canopy on the lot within twenty years.
That thicket of exceptions is exactly where a consulting arborist earns the fee, because the first question on an Arlington property is often not how to remove a tree but whether you are even allowed to, and what it will require. An ISA Certified Arborist can determine which of those categories your tree falls into and document the condition where a permit turns on whether a tree is genuinely hazardous. Where you are permitted to remove a regulated or public tree, the county generally requires you to replace it within a year or pay its appraised value, which is one more reason to have the assessment done before the saw comes out rather than after.
On a dense Arlington block an assessment happens in full view of a dozen households, and a recommendation that turns out wrong is seen by all of them. We treat that visibility as the standard to meet. We would rather be the arborists an Arlington block keeps calling back because the advice held up.
Our certified arborists offer a wide range of services across the Arlington, VA area — from everyday tree care to the more unusual requests. Whatever you need, we’re happy to help. Here are some of the most common ways we work with our clients.
Dealing with a fallen tree or worried about potential storm damage? We’re here to help—offering 24/7 emergency tree services to keep your property safe!
While some tree-related problems are obvious, others can be surprisingly subtle. And because prompt, proactive care tends to lead to better outcomes, it’s important to monitor your trees for any of the following signs or symptoms, so you can provide them with the support they need.
Getting started is easy; you can set up a consultation via phone, email, or our online booking form linked below.
One of our ISA-certified arborists or environmental technicians will take the time to listen carefully to each question or concern.
Our crew will arrive at the scheduled time and carry out the work in a professional, safe, and respectful manner.
We’ll always share some recommendations for the ongoing support and care of your plants and trees.
ISA certification is important — but it shouldn’t be the only thing you’re looking at. Don’t just settle for the first certified arborist you find. You deserve the best team out there, not just a qualified one.
Here’s what we think sets RTEC Treecare apart and gives our clients the peace of mind they deserve.
On top of having a team certified by the International Society of Arboriculture, RTEC Treecare was the first tree-care company in Virginia to earn accreditation from the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) — and we’re proud of that distinction.
Safety isn’t just a checkbox for us — it’s something every single person on the RTEC Treecare team takes seriously, from our ground crews to our climbing arborists and everyone in between. We always keep the well-being of our clients, crews, and bystanders front of mind, and we won’t start a job unless we’re confident it can be done safely.
Sloppy tree work can cause serious damage to your landscape, hardscape, and structures. That’s why we rely on zero-impact techniques — think advanced rigging systems, ground protection mats, and cranes when the job calls for it — so your property stays protected from start to finish.
To provide the kind of award-winning tree care our clients expect, we maintain the professional-grade tools and equipment needed to get the job done properly. And that applies to all of the gear we use, from simple hand pruners and hard hats to cutting-edge diagnostic tools and aerial lifts.
RTEC Treecare has been working with homeowners, commercial property managers, and municipalities in Arlington, VA for over 30 years. In that time, our arborists have come across just about every tree-care challenge in the book.
Some tree-care companies go quiet the moment you hire them — leaving you wondering what’s happening with your project. We’re not like that. Our arborists keep communication clear and consistent, so you’re never left guessing from your first call or email right through to the finished job.
RTEC Treecare holds all the required licenses and carries comprehensive insurance coverage — because operating with integrity isn’t just the right thing to do, it also gives our clients the confidence they deserve.
From tree pruning and removals to soil aeration and mosquito control, the RTEC Treecare team can provide the kind of solutions homeowners and property managers in Arlington, VA deserve.
The RTEC Treecare arborists are proud to serve a wide array of clients, from homeowners to homeowners’ associations to commercial property managers to government agencies. Visit our Who We Serve page for a comprehensive list of clients we serve, or contact us directly to learn if we can provide the arborist services you need.
Our service area includes most towns, cities, and unincorporated areas of the DC metropolitan area, including parts of Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC. You can see some of the specific communities we serve below!
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Feel free to leave your contact information on our online form. A consultation is always free, and it’s the first step towards finding a solution for your trees!
