According to the Career Explorer, there are around 66,000 arborists in the US. However, most people don’t understand the role of these specialists in preserving trees. Most individuals also use the names arborists, lumberjacks, and tree surgeons interchangeably.
This blog post takes you through the role of arborists in preserving trees in the Bay Area. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
- What is an Arborist and What Do They Do?
- How Arborists Contribute to the Bay Area’s Urban Forest
- Benefits of Hiring a Certified Arborist
- Get Professional Arborist Services Today
What is an Arborist and What Do They Do?
Contrary to popular belief, an arborist is not a lumberjack, tree trimmer, or even a tree surgeon. What is an arborist? An arborist is a professional tree care specialist with the knowledge, training, and certification in cultivating, managing, and caring for woody plants. Arboriculture tackles all aspects of tree care, from seedling level to felling.
A Bay Area arborist’s proficiencies go beyond lumberjacking, trimming, or tree surgery. Unlike lumberjacks, who fell trees for harvesting, arborists remove trees in hard-to-reach places or areas requiring technical expertise. A tree surgeon has general knowledge of tree maintenance, removal, and felling.
On the other hand, an arborist has advanced training in tree health management. Arborists diagnose and treat pest and disease-infested foliage. The specialist’s knowledge encompasses soil and weather in relation to tree health. Arborists handle trimming, pruning, felling, transplanting, disease care, and more.
An arborist is your go-to expert for comprehensive and professional tree care services on your property or city. They are the professionals who manage urban forest cover, ensuring trees thrive in a healthy habitat. Here is a breakdown of what arboriculture entails.
1. Planting
Arborists provide cradle-to-grave tree care services. The tree care specialist guides in choosing the appropriate seedlings for the Bay Area weather and soil, the right tree planting site, and examines and manages the plant to maintain health.
2. Transplanting
An arborist evaluates the tree’s health, age, and species to determine if it is ideal for transplanting. Arborists assess the soil condition, draining, and sunlight at the transplanting site to ascertain ideal growth conditions throughout the season.
The tree care specialist prepares the site, prunes the tree roots if necessary, and provides post-transplanting care to maintain the tree’s health and growth.
3. Tree Health Management
Arborists are experts in tree diseases and pests in all tree life stages. The arborist analyzes and diagnoses tree tissues from seedlings to mature trees. The tree care specialist treats identified infections, manages disease and pest outbreaks, and prevents pests and diseases from infecting entire neighborhoods. Apart from that, arborists evaluate the tree’s health to determine the appropriate nutrients it requires and recommend a suitable fertilizer.
4. Tree Care and Maintenance
A Bay Area arborist handles tree trimming and pruning to maximize air circulation, sunlight penetration, fruit production, and structural stability. The care expert examines the tree after harsh weather and recommends the best course of action to maintain the tree’s health and enhance safety on your property.
5. Tree Removal
Arborists remove trees in areas requiring technical expertise. During tree removal, the specialists maneuver through utility cables above and beneath the ground, adjacent infrastructure and property, and people within the site. Arborists factor in soil properties and ground and drainage disruption and take necessary measures to ensure safety.
How Arborists Contribute to the Bay Area’s Urban Forest
The role of arborists in preserving trees is indispensable. Cities like Redwood, San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco have thriving tree areas because urban tree care experts ensure the health and safety of wooded plants. Here is a detailed explanation of how arborists maintain the Bay Area’s green cover.
1. Assessing and Maintaining Tree Health
Arborists evaluate, diagnose, and treat trees in urban spaces, maintaining their health from cradle to grave. An arborist maintains tree wellness levels by preventing and managing the spread of diseases and pests. The expert analyzes weather patterns and wind cycles and their effect on the tree’s structural integrity and disease vulnerability.
Bay Area arborists examine soil properties to determine nutrient uptake and disease and pest susceptibility. The experts then determine the appropriate measures to sustain tree health.
2. Tree Selection and Planting
Knowing tree species that thrive in the Bay Area isn’t enough. You need an arborist to select trees that maintain the region’s ecological balance. The experts also determine tree planting sites for tree health and safety.
For instance, the Bay Area soil has a root rot fungus near creeks, rivers, and former water paths. Trees planted in such areas are vulnerable to the disease. Arborists assess soil conditions, sunlight penetration, infrastructure, utility lines, adjacent foliage, and wind dynamics when choosing appropriate tree planting sites.
3. Tree Removal
Not all structurally or health-compromised trees need removal. Bay Area Arborists specialize in removing compromised trees in urban spaces. Experts analyze the tree, assess the risks, and determine if removal is the best solution. Local arborists apply their knowledge of pests and diseases, tree biology, and disease management to maintain urban forestry.
The tree care specialist invests in machinery and equipment to fell trees and dispose of fragments safely. The arborists also tackle stump and root system removal. Besides, they understand the necessary permits in the Bay Area to adhere to local regulations.
4. Tree Servicing
Trees require regular pruning and trimming to enhance their health. Arborists provide expert tree maintenance services to remove dead and diseased branches. Regular trimming and pruning are essential in managing canopy volume, maximizing sunlight penetration and oxygen circulation.
Well-maintained trees improve Bay Area aesthetics. Arborists utilize several techniques to maintain tree crowns, from thinning, raising, reduction, cleaning, and so forth, to achieve the desired results for each tree.
5. Mitigating Environmental Challenges
Trees require specialized care each weather season to remain healthy. Arborists monitor soil moisture, adjusting watering frequency based on weather demands and soil retention properties.
Watering frequency may increase during droughts to prevent death due to lack of water. Arborists recommend mulching in cold seasons to prevent soil and root freezing and suppress weed growth.
Benefits of Hiring a Certified Arborist
Certified arborists in the Bay Area have tremendous advantages in the region’s ecological system. Tree care specialists ensure foliage is beneficial to you. Their expertise and services enhance the health and beauty of every urban setting in the Bay Area. Here is what local metropolitans stand to gain with expert tree care solutions.
1. Comprehensive Disease Diagnosis
Bay Area arborists have extensive knowledge of local pests and diseases. The experts know vulnerable seasons and species and implement mitigation strategies to prevent and curb the spread of infections. The arborists examine foliage, soil, and weather patterns to diagnose and manage pests and diseases.
2. Safe Pruning Techniques
Pruning requires expertise to achieve the expected results. Arborists employ several pruning techniques depending on the tree species, age, and goals. For instance, deadheading pruning boosts flowering in trees. Thinning cuts reduce canopy density, opening the crown for more sunlight and air circulation.
On the other hand, shortening cuts decrease branch growth while boosting budding. The pruning technique controls the size of the plant. Arborists use cleaning cuts to remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches.
3. Proper Planting Practices
Contrary to popular belief, you cannot plant trees anywhere in urban settings. Moreover, not all tree species suit the Bay Area’s ecological dynamics. Local arborists help you choose healthy tree species and locate suitable sites for sustainable growth.
4. Pest and Disease Management
Trees in the Bay Area are susceptible to local pests and diseases. Fungal infections cause root rot, sudden oak death, anthracnose, and Dutch Elm Disease. Bacterial infections like fire blight are also common on trees in early spring. Pests like oak worms, thrips, and aphids also impede tree health in the region.
Arborists are familiar with all pests and diseases in the Bay Area, their mode of action, and conditions favoring their spread. The tree care experts treat and manage ongoing infections and work to prevent future attacks.
5. Expert Tree Removal
Unlike lumberjacks specializing in felling trees in designated areas, arborists have the technical expertise to remove trees in urban settings. Arborists can fell compromised trees in property-laden areas without damaging utility lines, infrastructure, or housing. The tree care specialists ensure all adjacent plants remain unaffected regardless of tree size or condition.
6. Local Tree Biology Knowledge
Arborists understand tree biology. The experts develop diagnosis and mitigation strategies based on their understanding of tree nutrition, pests, diseases, and structure. Comprehending tree biology informs decisions about species selection, planting location, and ongoing health management.
Get Professional Arborist Services Today
Firefighter Tree Services has a team of arborists ready to help you in all the phases of your woody plants. Whether you want expertise in selecting the right trees or maintaining the health of your screening plants, we’ve got your back. We have invested in skills and equipment to tackle all your tree needs in the Bay Area. Get in touch with us now for a tailored solution.
