Tree branches drop out of canopies all the time and for all sorts of reasons. When it happens on your property, the stakes can be considerable. A falling tree limb can not only cause major damage to structures and vehicles but also threaten people and pets to a considerable degree. You need to regularly assess your tree canopies, identify branches at great risk of dropping, and deal with them safely.

Identifying Hazardous Branches

Any number of situations and conditions can make a tree branch likely to drop. It’s important to note that falling boughs aren’t always a sign of physical damage or poor tree condition. Trees engage in “self-thinning” or “self-pruning,” with certain branches shaded out by others or cut off from nourishment through selective energy allocation. So, a declining branch on its way to breaking off is sometimes simply a sign of a tree’s healthy self-maintenance.

That said, at-risk or “hazard” branches may fail because of damage or stress to the tree. This may be due to the elements or because a disease or insect pest attacks a particular limb, rotting and otherwise weakening it. It’s common to see a branch that broke or dropped still lodged in the crown of the tree. Arborists and foresters often call such loose, ready-to-fall limbs “widowmakers.”

Whether it’s a widowmaker or a branch showing more subtle signs of compromised structure, you need a trained arborist to evaluate your trees. Such inspections can identify hazard branches, including less-obvious ones, and produce a plan of action to deal with them safely.

Removing At-Risk Tree Limbs Before They Fall

Taking down a branch, whether it’s ailing, getting old, or has already broken off and is hanging in the canopy, is a delicate operation. It demands meticulous preparation and careful action to avoid risking injury to yourself and to the tree. It is not a DIY project.

Professional arborists have the specialized tools, know-how, and experience to remove hazard branches safely. This is a type of pruning known as crown restoration, and it’s technical work.

It’s also inherently dangerous work, frequently requiring a complicated game plan to execute properly. Arborists can determine how to best cut a compromised branch to minimize injury to the tree. They’ll also decide whether other parts of the tree, including connected limbs and the trunk, are strained by the failing/broken branch.

Larger branches, multiple hazards, and limbs situated in tricky spots or configurations make branch-removal a meticulous, step-by-step process. Arborists will remove branches in a way that maintains the tree’s structural integrity throughout.

Contact Professional Tree Specialists to Deal With Hazard Branches

To minimize the chances you’ll have a branch suddenly drop out of your trees, trust the experts. Turn to a reputable tree service company to evaluate the condition of your trees, pinpoint hazard branches, and attend to them safely. If you live in Medford, OR or a surrounding area and need emergency tree services, make your first call to L&J Tree Service.