A Storm Can Change Our View of Trees

Feb. 23, 2012 - PRLog -- Jeremy Rappoport discusses how seasonal storms can influence our perspective of trees.  For most property owners, the trees on their property are an afterthought until a storm event causes tree damage.  However, for commercial property owners, home owner associations, and property management companies, trees can be an asset that enhances a properties value as well as a potential liability if involved in a tree related accident.

If you own or manage property with trees used by the public, you are most likely aware that premise liability extends to protecting the public from tree hazards that pose a risk of harm or property damage.  If a tree you own is involved in an accident resulting in property damage, injury or death, you could be found negligent and liable for damages.  This also applies to residential property owners.  

Mr. Rappoport's article discusses how storms can bring tree defects or hazards to our attention for proactive remediation before an accident happens.  Tools such as tree inventories and tree risk assessments help property owners and managers assess and manage and reduce tree risk through active tree management programs.

"While taking a lunch break at a park along Mission Bay in San Diego, I couldn’t help but admire the towering Eucalyptus, Ficus and Carrotwood trees. The sun was shining and lots of people we out enjoying the weather, picnicking, stretching, working out and performing yoga, most of these activities were beneath various tree canopies.

A few days later, we had a Santa Ana wind condition and I happened to be taking my lunch break at the same park. The wind was blowing at a constant 15 mph with gusts easily reaching 25-30 mph. The same trees that appeared so benign during a sunny day now appeared quite different. The towering Eucalyptus trees were dropping copious amounts of leaves, twigs, and small branches. Mexican fan palm fronds were bent horizontal, dead fronds were flying down from 45’ tall trees.

Winter storms test tree health and vigor, typically resulting in broken branches, limbs, trunks, and sometimes a complete tree failure. When the weather is nice, few people really look at a tree and consider whether it is safe. We assume trees are strong and pose little threat. Go for a walk in your neighborhood on a nice sunny day, no doubt you will find large size Ficus trees, or massive Coral trees, Pine trees, Eucalyptus or even 60’ tall Mexican fan palm. As a certified arborist, I enjoy examining large specimen trees and still find myself marveling at how these wonderful organisms support their massive trunks and branches, especially during wind and rainstorms."

Read the full article: http://www.landscapeexpertwitness.com/blog/?p=308

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Jeremy Rappoport is President of RDCS LLC. Mr. Rappoport is a certified arborist and tree risk assessor, a C- 27 landscape contractor and a professional horticulturist. Mr. Rappoport studied landscape architecture, landscape contracting and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Rappoport Development Consulting Services LLC provides landscape, horticulture, arboriculture and land development expert witness consulting services for attorneys and insurers and professional landscape, arboriculture, horticulture and land development and construction management consulting services.