A glimpse at two trees side-by-side where one has been pruned to lighten and elevate the canopy, allow wind to pass through, and remove hazards. Can you guess which one? The elimination of hazards like deadwood and falling branches makes this tree safe for pedestrians and reduces the liability of the property manager. Pruning can give a tree the desired size and help to control growth in limited spaces. Mature trees require maintenance pruning that goes beyond just hazard removal and creating clearance for buildings, walkways and signage to assure the long-term health and vitality of the tree. Elevating lower tree limbs, also known as crown raising, over walkways provides safe clearance for pedestrians & drivers. Too bad the next driver on this street gets a traffic ticket for missing the stop sign hidden behind the tree. Before and after images demonstrate how crown raising and thinning not only increases visibility from one side of the street to the other but makes for a healthier, happier tree. Mature trees, for the most part, are irreplaceable in size. Proper tree care is an investment. Trees with proper health and vigor are attractive and can add increased value to your property. Maintenance pruning on a regular basis ensures the long-term health, beauty and value of a tree. Trees make our cities more attractive and provide ecosystem services such as air quality improvement, energy conservation, noise reduction, storm water interception and carbon dioxide reduction. Pruning to remove dry fronds, seed stalks and frond stubs can increase the safety of your property for clients, tenants and employees. Long-term survival and stability of a landmark mature tree requires expert knowledge to ensure health and vigor are preserved over time. Desk workers with a view of nature report lower rates of sickness and greater satisfaction with their jobs compared to those having no visual connection to nature. Because of their shape and height, trees add a sense of grandeur to a driveway or gated entrance at a home or residential community. Trees in communal settings bring people together for conversation, respite and escape. Research comparing sales prices of residential properties suggests people will pay 3 to 7 percent more for properties with ample trees versus few or no trees. Consumer surveys have found that preference ratings increase with the presence of trees in the commercial streetscape. In contrast to areas without trees, shoppers shop more often and longer in well-landscaped business districts. Our tree care crews wear special safety gear to prevent accidents. Climbing helmets are secure with a padded chin strap and safety vests have velcro fasteners on both the shoulders and front to rip free should it get caught in a chipper or chainsaw. Regular structural pruning can increase the safety of your property for clients, tenants, homeowners, guests and employees. The climber only cuts when the ground is clear for branches to fall. He systematically applies undercuts and overcuts to remove each limb, a process called 'limbing.' The crew on the ground chops and removes some of the debris when the climber readjusts his ropes before removing another limb. The ground crew wears chaps made with a special interwoven cloth designed to jam a chainsaw should it accidentally hit his leg. Our crew feeds branches into the chipper from the side to prevent them from being caught by a branch and sucked into the chipper. Side feeding also provides better access to the white safety bars around the perimeter to stop the machine. It is our priority to keep the community safe. Using proper signage, placing safety cones around our vehicles and drop zone and lining the perimeter of the work area with safety tape provide visual cues to the public to stay clear and drive carefully. The tree removal specialist uses metal core safety cables to connect to the tree at two points to ensure he doesn't fall should one line release. Safety cables are adjusted throughout the limbing process. Bright orange vests are worn to ensure the tree trimmer can easily spot the crew working on the ground. Debris is removed throughout the tree removal process, but some is always left to dampen the fall of large limbs. The tree being removed is a 40-year old Cedar Deodar. Our tree care specialist identified it for removal based on its exposed roots and dramatic angle. After the limbs are removed, the trunk is cut down to a manageable size. Before chopping down the main tree trunk, the crew moves a piece of the trunk on the ground to dampen the fall and protect the turf. Upon completion, our crew removes all debris and equipment from the site to ensure the property looks clean and visitors are safe. Tree pruning specifications are industry set standards that need to be followed for proper tree care operations to ensure the safety and the health of trees. Our professional crews have all the necessary qualifications including licenses, training, and proper insurance for tree care. Structures should have enough clearance from any part of a tree to avoid damage and transfer of pests like termites, carpenter ants and rodents. Specifications are typically 4 feet for buildings, 8 feet for walkways and 18 feet for traffic right of ways. Bucket or aerial lift trucks create highly efficient time management and help ensure safety for the crew. Properly trimmed trees are reduced in weight by 15-20% evenly throughout, which protects trees from uprooting and damage in the event of strong winds.

View Gallery: Beautiful Trees, Beautiful Places

View Gallery: ValleyCrest in Action

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Welcome to our showcase of tree work in the Northern California area where trees are our passion. Check out our crews in action and see for yourself what optimal tree care looks like as well as how well-maintained trees increase curb appeal and reduce safety hazards.