When your tree sustains moderate to severe damage from insects & diseases, construction or a storm you may have to make the decision to try and restore the tree’s health or to remove the tree. If you have to make this decision an Arborist can help you determine if your tree is worth the investment by looking at the species, age, vigor, and value of the tree.
Species: Is this type of tree prone to pests & other problems? If it is you may incur costly treatments for the rest of the tree’s life.
Age: Is the tree young, mature, or over-mature? A young tree till has a lot of life in it; however, a mature tree, or over-mature tree may only have a few years left and may be weaker and less likely to survive damage than a young tree.
Vigor: What health condition was the tree in before the damage? If the tree was perfectly healthy before the damage it will be easier to restore its health. But if your tree was already sickly or in bad health before this new damage it may be best to remove the tree.
Value: Does the tree have sentimental meaning to you or is the tree vital piece of your landscape? If so saving the tree may be extremely important to you.
If the tree is worth the investment, make sure to get started with the Arborist’s recommendations as soon as possible. The earlier a tree health plan is established the better chance the tree has to recover.
If you and your Arborist decide the tree is not worth the investment, remove it as soon as possible. If the tree dies and isn’t removed it can become a hazard tree, threatening the property around it and adding to the removal.