As trees grow, they add new limbs and shed others. A mature tree will have transformed its shape, structure, and form many times during its life. Trees in nature do this just fine all by themselves, but urban trees need our assistance. Periodic pruning is essential for urban trees, both young and old. The results include trees that look better, fit their location without conflicts, dramatically reduced potential hazards, and improved health and longevity.

Pruning involves many permanent decisions. Which limbs to remove, how cuts are made, complex rigging operations, and dangerous technical procedures should all be left in the hands of certified arborists and highly skilled climbers. It is important that these individuals be expertly trained, and also have a passion and deep connection with what they are doing. A single mistake could ruin a tree or result in serious damage or injury.

 We welcome the opportunity to visit with you and your trees for an assessment of your current pruning needs, including:

* Potentially hazardous conditions

* Reduction of risk from storms and high winds

* Proper pruning to improve aesthetics or to open vistas

* Roof and house clearance pruning

* Raising of low branches levels to allow for pedestrians or vehicles

Tree removal is very dangerous work and should be left in the hands of certified arborists and highly skilled tree workers. It is important that these individuals be expertly trained, and also have a passion and deep connection with what they are doing. A single mistake could result in serious damage or injury.

Selecting the right tree care company to remove and care for your trees is a serious decision, as there are no licensing laws that regulate or monitor safety practices in this industry, Consumers must be careful to differentiate between companies that invest in a deeply-rooted culture of safety, and those that offer low prices at the cost of inappropriate risk to their employees and clients.

Atlanta Wood Tech specializes in zero-impacted tree removal. In fact, most properties are left in better condition then when our work began. Every aspect of a removal from power line drops, traffic control, scheduling conflicts, specialty equipment, complicated set up procedures, and complex rigging systems, to immaculate clean up are carefully managed for you.

We welcome the opportunity to visit your property and create a removal plan that will have the least possible impact on your property, your lifestyle, and your finances.

Trees in nature have evolved to develop a high degree of resistance to threats from insects and diseases. Conversely, urban trees face increased challenges due to their harsh growing conditions, leaning their resistance compromised and more vulnerable to attack.

Its vital that potential problems are identified and strategies created to protect trees in the urban landscape, as scale insects, ambrosia beetles, foliage disease, trunk borers, decay organisms, and other pests and diseases are attracted to weakened trees.

Integrated pest management (IPM) programs are the best solution for protecting your valuable trees. Regular diagnostic inspections, including targeting treatments to control specifics insects, and diseases, adjustments of soil conditions etc.. are scheduled at appropriate intervals, ensuring an ongoing commitment to keeping your trees as healthy and safe as possible. Treatments are based on common sense approach that protects trees while minimizing applications, reducing costs, and favoring natural, organic, environmentally-friendly products.

Tree Risk Assesment

When a tree is identified as being at risk of catastrophic failure, a meticulous examination must be performed in order to appraise the potential risk. Tree Risk Assessments performed by ISA Certified Arborists provide tree owners with vital information regarding their safety. While not all tree defects are perceptible, most can be detected during the careful observation of many indicators, such as tree form, foliage color and density, shoot growth, tip dieback, cavities, pest and disease detection, root disturbance, soil conditions, etc. In addition, a tree’s “strength loss” can be determined by use of a Resistograph®, which measures the amount of sound wood versus decayed wood in any given area of a tree. The goal of a Tree Risk Assessment is to provide the factual information necessary to make an informed decision about your trees. Trees with an unreasonable risk for failure, which would cause injury to person or property, may warrant removal. Trees that do not exceed a tolerable risk threshold may benefit from a managed care plan tailored for their specific needs, and may include:

• Pruning or cabling
• Soil therapy
• Insect and disease suppression
• Mulching
• Periodic inspections

Since 1981, Atlanta Wood Tech has performed hundreds of Tree Risk Assessments, providing our clients the critical information necessary to reduce their chances of harm. We welcome the opportunity to provide solutions for your property as well.

   

Emergency Storm Services

After a storm, it’s a good idea to walk your property to assess any possible damage to your trees. Some damage will be obvious, with trees having fallen, or large branches on the ground. Some damage will be harder to detect, with branches only cracked and hanging, but not having reached the ground. It is important that all storm-damaged trees be tended to, as broken limbs can dislodge and cause damage to person or property below. While most tree care companies tout being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, not every company is prepared to safely handle the aftermath of a storm. Storm-damaged trees can be extremely dangerous and require highly skilled climbers to safely manage their removal. Trees are often laying in precarious positions, can be tangled in other trees or structures, and prone to unexpected shifting. Selecting the right tree care company to assist you following a storm is a serious decision. Consumers must be careful to differentiate between established companies that invest in a deeply-rooted culture of safety and training, and those fly-by-night companies that attempt to capitalize on natural disasters. Arborguard has proudly served as a trusted partner for thousands of clients since 1981, and welcomes the opportunity to serve you as well.

 

ArborGrow® Soil Therapy

Healthy trees require rich soil teeming with living organisms. Urban soils are sterile and lack organic matter like that found on the natural forest floor. Nutrients are deficient and pore space for oxygen and soil moisture has typically been eliminated by compaction. No wonder the life expectancy of urban trees is a fraction of those found in nature. Urban trees, critical to our quality of life, are terminally threatened. Fertilizing trees only makes it worse. Nitrogen fertilizers add salt, destroy essential microbes, create chemical imbalances, and force excess growth. Forcing rapid growth increases stress on already struggling plants. Although a recently fertilized tree may look a little greener, its internal systems and complex relationship with the soil may be at severe risk of failure. Fertilizing trees is similar to taking steroids to speed up muscle growth. The side effects can be devastating. In addition, fertilizers leach into storm water and end up in destroying the natural systems in our rivers, lakes, and watersheds. The natural solution to the needs of urban soils is a process called soil therapy. This involves duplicating natural conditions by adding organic matter, micronutrients, and living microbes to the soil, while simultaneously aerating compacted pore space. Our proprietary ArborGrow® mix contains a custom blend of plant extracts, worm castings, Acadian sea kelp, hummates, amino acids, biostimulants, and living, essential microbes. In addition, natural phosphites and select micronutrients are added for stability and to suppress disease-causing soil fungi. Materials are mixed with non-chlorinated well water, and pressure injected to help fracture compacted soils and improve porosity and moisture retention. Since 1981, Atlanta Wood Tech has partnered with thousands of property owners to provide natural solutions for the preservation of trees in the urban landscape. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your trees to create a plan to serve you as well.

 

Tree Planting

Planting a tree is an effective way to increase your property’s aesthetic appeal, add shade, enhance privacy, reduce energy costs, and raise your real estate values. A properly planted and maintained tree has a much greater likelihood of a long, healthy life. An improperly planted tree can become a costly or even dangerous problem as it matures. The first step in successful planting is selecting the proper tree for its planned location. Consider factors such as proximity to structures and what size the tree will be once fully mature. We know that when planting a small tree it‘s difficult to imagine how large it will one day be. Unfortunately, poor planning can lead to expensive, heartbreaking removals when trees eventually outgrow their site. Think, will it eventually be too close to your home? Will it encroach on power lines? Will there be enough sunlight penetration to your lawn? Arborguard extensively trains its personnel in the art and science of tree planting. We have relationships with reliable growers who provide us with trees that are screened for proper root ball size, health and vigor, canopy shape and appearance, and branch structure. Trees that don’t meet our standards are rejected. Preparation of the site is critical for future health and development. It’s important to oversize the hole, loosen and inspect the roots, scarify the soil interface, and enrich the backfill with organic soil amendments. It is essential that planting be performed by an experienced team, led by Arborists certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. Trees are often planted too deeply or too shallow in heavily compacted, sterile urban soils. Other common mistakes made by those without a high level of knowledge of proper planting procedures include: digging a hole that is not wide enough, which does not allow for lateral root development and expansion, failure to remove twine, straps, burlap, and wire baskets, which leads to root damage, packing soil too firmly or too loosely, “volcano” mulching, etc. We welcome the opportunity to visit with you to discuss augmenting the beauty and value of your property. Click on the images below to review of our list of recommended trees for planting. Included is information regarding size at maturity, color of foliage in summer and fall, typical growth rate, and preferred soil and sun conditions.

Tree Preservation Programs

Critical decisions involving trees during development and construction can have a significant impact on the success of any project. These decisions must involve an arborist experienced in every aspect of the construction process, and should be part of the development team during the planning process. Since 1981, Atlanta Wood Tech has partnered with hundreds of developers to effectively analyze sites and site plans, and create tree preservation programs that address issues that arise before, during, and after construction. Our programs include:

• Analysis of existing trees for health, structure, form, site impact, species, and size
• Determination of potential construction impact based on surveyed tree information
• Identification of potential conflicts and suggestion of adjustments to construction plans to facilitate tree survival
• Recommendation of preservation, transplanting, or removal
• Review of construction procedures to identify potential Plant Health Care applications to enhance tree survivability

  We welcome the opportunity to review your project and provide effective solutions. Our goal is to make your job easier by resolving complicated tree-related issues, often saving you time and money in the process.
   

It’s important to evaluate your property at least once yearly in order to maximize the safety, health, and appearance of your trees. A through visual inspection by an Atlanta Wood Tech Arborist is recommended as the first step in creating an Annual Tree Care Plan custom tailored to your property’s needs, which may include:

* Pruning - Properly pruned trees are better able to resist pests, diseases, storm threats, and environmental stresses. Removing dead and diseased branches not only promotes tree health, but protects you from injury, property damage, and potential liability.

* Soil Therapy - Arbor Grow is a natural solution to the needs of depleted urban soils, and involves duplicating natural conditions by adding organic matter, micronutrients, and living microbes to the soil, while simultaneously aerating compacted pore space.

* Insect and Disease Control - Targeted treatments can prevent or control specific problems, and are often necessary to prevent tree decline or loss.

* Periodic Inspections - Proactive property inspections allow identification of issues before they become costly problems.

Since 1981 Atlanta Wood Tech Tree Service has created and implemented tens of thousands of Annual Tree Care Plans to maintain the safety, health, and beauty of our clients most valuable living assets. These plans have proven invaluable to property managers and homeowners in their yearly budget planning. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and all your tree care needs so that we may serve you well.