Gardening is a fantastic pastime. There are few things as satisfying as being outdoors, getting your hands in the dirt and being a part of helping something flourish. Even minor maintenance in the way of a bit of pruning or trimming of shrubs and hedges can be a great way to engage with the garden on the weekend. However, there are some aspects of your yard maintenance that are not to be undertaken on your own. Tree maintenance and removal, even if on seemingly minor trees, can be extremely dangerous and is anything but light and relaxing work. It is understandable to feel tempted to take matters into your own hands when you have a tree on your property that needs maintenance or removal as a way to save money but there are loads of reasons why hiring a certified tree arborist is the only way to go. Here are just a few:
Time is money
If you are looking at removing a complete tree this is a time-consuming job that is only magnified when lacking the skills and equipment to know how to do it efficiently and effectively, whilst also doing it safely. Tree removals need to be planned and prepared for. This will take significant time in itself and if not done properly can result in a catastrophic outcome for the health of those involved, as well as any infrastructure in the vicinity. Beyond just bringing the tree down, you also then need to factor in the time it will take to clean up the mess after it is felled. You cannot simply leave the tree laying there wherever it falls, which segues perfectly into the next reason why you should call in a tree arborist.
Gear, gear and more gear
Typical tools you are likely to have in your shed just simply won’t cut it, excuse the pun, when it comes to clearing a whole tree or even lopping off a significant branch. Most chainsaws, if not industry-strength, will struggle to have the necessary horsepower and tongue length to get the job done. Then you would need to factor in clothing, possibly rigging, likely a woodchipper and stump grinder. Beyond these tools being extremely expensive to hire, they are also incredibly dangerous to use, particularly if you are inexperienced.
Accidents happen
Scaling a tree obviously has huge risks associated to your own health and wellbeing. Furthermore, tree’s movements can be extremely difficult to predict once they begin to fall. This places not only the person cutting the tree at significant risk, it also threatens those and their possessions within the vicinity. Trees and their limbs can be incredibly heavy, easily crushing cars and houses so it is paramount that you call in a certified tree arborist when tree work is needed on your property.
After the cutting comes the clean up
After removing a tree you will be left with a huge amount of debris. Without a tree arborist and the necessary equipment to move and chip the wood, this becomes a huge undertaking for yourself. Most councils will not collect this kind of trash, you will need to move and store it yourself. The job isn’t done until the clean up is done, which could be enough of an effort to finish you off. A certified tree arborist with the right equipment can make much lighter work of this and save you the time and effort.
The final thing to make sure of is that your tree arborist is suitably certified for the job you require. If you require an Arborist Report, make sure that your arborist is AQF Level 5 or equivalent certified. Other things to look for is that they are fully insured and provide a safety guarantee that adheres to Australian WHS standards. If you are still in doubt about the importance of a certified tree arborist, check out the following link https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/18/nsw-tree-removal-company-hit-with-record-fine-over-death-of-worker-pulled-into-woodchipper as it reinforces just how serious the risks can be when working with trees.