When to Remove Landscape Trees

Sometimes, when a tree is diseased or damaged, there really is no other choice but to take it out, but for those who appreciate the many benefits of trees, deciding to remove can be one of the most difficult, even agonizing, landscaping decisions that they ever have to make.

It is well known that trees add value to any property.  That, coupled with their overall beauty and graceful attractiveness, makes it easy to understand why we become so attached to our trees.  Who has not enjoyed the shade of a friendly, well-located tree on a hot summer day?

Most of the time, damaged or even diseased trees can be nurtured along and brought back to health.  Good irrigation and fertility practices often enough will stimulate new, healthy growth that will allow the tree to overcome most problems.

Sometimes, however, good care is not enough.  A tree may be overly damaged from a storm or ravaged by disease.  It may be growing in a place where it can cause damage to a home or commercial building.  It may be sitting underneath a power line or interfering with the delivery of utilities.  In these situations arise, something drastic needs to be done.

It can be difficult, even in the best of situations, to know when to nurture and when to remove a tree.  However, there are ways to approach these types of decisions, and one of the best is that used by trained tree professionals.  In making a decision to keep or remove a tree, most arborists cooly consider two offsetting factors.  These factors help them put the problem into perspective and reach a final conclusion.

The first factor is the value of the target.  The second is  the potential for plant failure. 

The value of the target, in simple terms, is what, or who could be damaged or hurt by the failure of the tree.  Professional arborists look first at the value of any structure or possession and how the loss of that value may affect a specific landscape.  Having done that, they also look at the tree itself to determine if there is eminent danger of a branch breaking and falling, or if there is any reason the tree might be weak enough to completely fail in a heavy wind.  Armed with this information, most decisions become quite easy.

The single most important reason for removing a tree is, quite simply, safety.  Safety for the people closest to the tree, safety for the general public and safety for buildings or automobiles.   If there is any chance that people might be hurt from a dangerous tree, in today’s world of liability, removal is probably the best choice.

There are good examples of how safety can play a big role in landscape decisions.  Large, sick or declining trees growing near buildings, parks where children play or in planters next to high traffic areas in town often create a risk that far outweighs the benefits of those trees.

In other situations, a tree may be perfectly fine; that is, not damaged or diseased in any way.  Nevertheless, the same type of thinking has to apply.  If there is danger that a high value loss, injury or death could occur, the tree should come out.  Healthy trees under power lines, saguaros growing under the eaves of a home and trees in a position where roots could heave up a sidewalk or damage structures are good examples. 

Stated a little differently, if a dangerous tree sits over a driveway or sidewalk, overhangs the roof of a house or shelters the outdoor toys of a children’s play area, it is really an easy choice to make.  They should come out as soon as possible. 

On the other hand, if the tree is in a spot where little or no damage could occur, it is probably alright to let it remain for as long as the tree can survive.  A tree in a relatively unfrequented area may have a low hazard rating and can probably be left untouched.

Once a tree is determined to be dangerous, however, there still may be other choices besides removal.  The addition of bolts and guy wires may simply be all that is needed to solve the problem.  This process is slow and often expensive, but in some cases, it can actually save a tree. 
Sometimes simple pruning to lighten the load on a tree trunk may be all that is needed to correct a problem. This works best on younger trees where selective pruning can force growth back into vacant areas and save the life of the tree.  Older trees are generally not in an active growth phase and may not be able to respond with new growth quickly enough to fill unsightly gaps in the tree canopy or prevent possible sunburn damage to the tree. 

Unfortunately, in some cases, the dangers of leaving a tree or branch in position outweigh the potential benefits that the tree provides.  Whether this is caused by a high potential for failure in a busy location, or a limb in a bad position, there really is no other recourse.  In these cases, it is time to take it out. 

If the decision is made to remove a tree, make sure that it is done correctly.  Because trees needing removal are often dangerous, it is generally well worth the money to pay a certified professional who is trained and experienced to do the job.  Many people each year are injured or killed by following improper procedures while removing large, dangerous trees.

Mature trees represent a large investment of time, fertilizer, water and tender loving care over many years in order for them to reach mature heights.  When they do not do well, we are rightfully concerned.   The decision to remove a tree is often difficult, but in the interest of safety and common sense, sometimes they just have to come out.

If you have questions, you can reach one of our Master Gardeners at the Cooperative Extension office, 820 E. Cottonwood Lane, Building C, in Casa Grande.  The telephone is (520) 836-5221, extension 204.  The author’s email address is gibsonrd@ag.arizona.edu.

The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.  The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.

Rick Gibson
Extension Agent, Agriculture
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
820 E. Cottonwood Lane, Building C
Casa Grande, Arizona 85122
Voice:    (520) 836-5221
Fax:    (520) 836-1750
email:    gibsonrd@ag.arizona.edu