The street on which I live is lined with a myriad of ancient trees that transform the quaint roadway, season to season, into individually breathtaking displays of natural beauty. One could almost forget they were traveling through the suburbs, and instead had, by some feat of science fiction, escaped through a portal into a country setting, straight out of Anne of Green Gables. In the spring, apple blossoms drift lazily through the air, and gently blanket the sidewalk, street, and front lawns with white and pink fragrant flowers, as if in celebration of overcoming the starkness of winter. This year a lush and brilliant green has replaced the hues of pink and white since the beginning of summer, in a canopy of foliage that shades the road and shields pedestrians from the blazing sun; and which will subsequently metamorphose into a flurry of rich tones of brown, orange and red in the autumn months to come.

The unique seasonal beauty of Canada is also often accompanied by tumultuous storms, particularly in the summer heat, delivering raging winds, pelting hail, and crashing thunder. A tempest of such proportions swept through the area last week, and was cited as being one of the largest of the season. I remember it quite well, as I was at home trying to comfort my small American Eskimo dog, who was at the time terror-stricken by the chaos outside. With an exceptionally loud boom of thunder, the house went dark. As I was reaching for my electric candles that I had placed strategically in each room of the house in preparation for the inevitable power-outage, a second bolt of lightning peeled through the sky with a crash that reverberated through the walls and floor. ‘That was really close’, I thought as my heart leapt into my throat.

The following day I learned that the lightning had only contributed to that thunderous crash, but that a fallen tree had been the main cause. Several trees had fallen in the neighbourhood; however, this one fell directly onto our neighbour’s front porch, narrowly missing their house, yet still causing significant damage. Upon clean up, I was surprised to learn from the professional arborist that such situations can often be prevented through regular tree maintenance, which includes removal of diseased, decaying, or broken limbs. This tree had deceptively been dead for some time, despite the fact that it still had leaves on the branches. The exposed trunk core revealed significant rotting, most likely a result of decay-promoting fungi, and the powerful wind of the night before delivered just enough strength to topple it over. Apparently, many homeowners are unsuspectingly living next to such risks.

With routine inspection from a tree services professional, trees can effectively be preserved through prevention of the spread of harmful fungi or parasites. This not only protects the aesthetics of the homeowner’s property, but also can prevent the potential disasters associated with a fallen tree, such as damage to the house or injury to its occupants. While increased safety is a prominent benefit of tree services, there are many other advantages to hiring a professional arborist. Occasional pruning of branches helps to increase sun exposure and air circulation, which is a health benefit not only to the tree itself, but also to the surrounding lawn or nearby shrubs. Arborists can effectively remove tree branches that obstruct telephone or hydro wires, chimneys, gutters, window views, and sidewalks or driveways (International Society of Arboriculture, 2005). Tree pruning often requires an individual to climb to considerable heights and occasionally use chainsaws, which both have associated risks involved and are best left to trained professionals.

Tree services can help to restore and enhance the natural beauty of a landscape, thus increasing the value of a property. Furthermore, during the growth of younger trees, structural trimming can ensure that the tree develops in the most optimal way, in regards to shape and wind resistance, reducing the need for structural support later on (International Society of Arboriculture, 2005). Most importantly, however, in the event of a storm, such as the one that rolled through my neighbourhood last week, one can have peace of mind that in its wake, the trees will still be standing, homes will be intact, and loved ones will be safe. For more information visit www.albertaarborists.com.

International Society of Arboriculture (2005). Why Hire an Arborist. http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/hire_arborist.aspx