Frequently Asked Questions

Selecting a tree service should be considered carefully. Trees and shrubs add beauty and value to your property and deserve proper care. When you look for a tree service, there should be an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, an ISA Certified Arborist, and an ISA Qualified Tree Risk Assessor on staff to ensure your trees' future health.

Start your search online for ISA Board Certified Master Arborists in your area.

If you are getting comparison bids, you may find they vary considerably. One bid might include careful pruning according to National Arborist Association Standards and perform by a trained ISA Certified Arborist reputable and insured company. A bid of much less on the same job might be a quick butcher job by an uninsured or unlicensed person with little or no knowledge of tree biology and how trees will respond. Be aware that bids of nearly the same amount may not represent the equivalent quality, the amount of work, or the experience and education.

The important thing about gathering comparative bids is that each company estimates the same work and that you understand the quality of work provided. You want to shop Value over price. All the companies you choose to receive bids from should have the same credentials, education, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to have these companies put in writing what they are going to do in detail.

Topping, refers to removing significant portions of a tree's crown by cutting branches indiscriminately or whole tops from trees. Topping injures and sometimes kills them outright. So why would people ask to have a tree topped? There seem to be a few main reasons:

• Concern for safety
  Possibility of blow down in storms etc.
• Scenic views
  People want a better view of rivers, lakes, mountains, etc.
• Misguided intent to save money
  Correctly pruned trees are not often apparent to the untrained eye, whereas a "topped" tree is very apparent. The examples of quality tree care frequently go unnoticed, while the mutilated victims of topping serve as a standard no-no for tree care. Topping destroys the natural form of trees. It stimulates excessive, undesirable growth and defeats the original purpose of pruning your trees. Restorative pruning can bring back a tree's natural shape after being topped. A tree's life is reduced by topping, and the resultant decay weakens the limbs and trunk. Topping a tree can become the most expensive method of trimming when considering the loss of tree value and the increasing maintenance costs required to preserve an unnatural form. Topping cannot and will not make a tree safe, and it causes more problems. People who ignore proper tree care and top trees ensure long loss to everyone, especially the tree.