Now back to the question I’m sure we all want to know the answer to.
When a tree does fail, who’s fault is it? I’ve got two words: Due diligence.
In my experience, that is all the insurance companies care about. “Did you do your due diligence?”
When was the tree last pruned? If it wasn’t, when was the last time a professional looked at it and did you have a plan for it?
If you have maintenance records on that specific tree, or you have records of recent assessment, then that usually
satisfies the insurance investigation. Te incident usually gets filed under “Act of God”: An unforeseeable event.
Tis is why a tree inventory and management plan is so important. I’m not talking about the old tree tagging systems that cost thousands of dollars and ends up in an excel spreadsheet. Now-a-days, there should be an app for that. Ask your tree care provider.
Below in an example screenshot of the type of program that many tree care providers use. It has all the details and work history of each tree in your community. It has saved clients from incurring costs by proving their due diligence.
TO WRAP IT ALL UP, HERE ARE THE 3 THINGS I’D LIKE YOU TO TAKE-AWAY:
1. Keep an eye out for all the indicators mentioned above. If you see any concerns, call up your tree care professional and have them take a look.
2. Pay attention to your bids and ask questions! Not all pruning is created equal.
Tree inventory example: Screenshot of property map overview with tree locations. Different colors indicate different tree species.
3. If you have lots of trees on your property and don’t have a tree inventory or management plan, consider getting one. Depending on your tree care provider, it can be an additional cost, or like us, it’s included in our regular services.
Tat’s all folks! Next time you stroll through your urban forest, I hope you look at your trees with more insight and understanding :)
Leaf out.
Tree history example: Screenshot of tree with prun- ing history and upcoming rec- ommendations.
SARAH GASKIN is a Registered Consulting Arborist and ISA Cer- tified Arborist with A Plus Tree, a profession- al tree care company that specializes in pro-
viding solutions for multi-family and HOA tree management.
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