Because the recent ice storm caused significant damage to trees across the state, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is offered tips about how to deal with damaged trees.
After heat, power and other utilities are restored, homeowners and tree lot owners will be faced with these decisions about what to do with their ice-covered trees:
— Trees and branches around power lines should be left to the local power companies. Once the danger to the overhead wires is taken care of, homeowners can assess the damage to the tree or branches before cutting down the tree or removing broken branches.
— Trees that are covered with ice can be treacherous. Do not work around limbs that are fully or partially broken off and are hung up in a tree crown. These can break with devastating force. If the branch must be removed, call a licensed and insured arborist.
— Trees that will require climbing on or using chain saws are best left to the experts. An arborist may be able to save a tree that looks doomed, or can advise the homeowner how much of the tree should be saved.
— Do not cut trees that do not pose a threat. Some trees — for instance, birches — will recover when the ice melts, even though they look bent over and about to break. Attempting to remove ice can further damage a tree, so do not shake branches.
If a tree must be removed, wait until ice is gone then reassess.
A list of licensed arborists can be found at http://www.maine.gov/dacf /php/arborist/ArboristList. shtml.
Beware people who come to your home and offer to do the work. They may not be insured or licensed. If they are injured on your property, you may be liable.
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