Locating Trees

Trees are great when located in the right place. Poor placement, however, causes all manner of problems down the road.

Proper placement of trees is crucial to their long term health. We have all seen the strange shapes created by the utility companies across the country when they clear tree limbs away from the lines. This is an important job for them to do, but a magnificent pine tree, or maple, with an ugly 'L' shape cut into it is a testament to poor planning. Always research the height and width of the tree that you are considering. Some are destined to stay small, others are not. Note the rate of growth too, because some trees grow rapidly and will outgrow their allotted space in a matter of years, not decades. One such tree that I am considering removing is a birch, tentatively identified as a River Birch (Betula nigra). This is a terrific tree in the right place, but it has been planted within ten feet of the deck and house. It will grow close to fifty feet high at maturity, and twenty feet wide. Already it is twenty feet or so high and shows evidence that one of the trunks has already been removed. Naturally a multi-trunk tree that is well suited to urban areas because of its tolerance for environmental conditions, this one is definitely in the wrong place. A little research or even looking at the tag on the tree would have indicated that it needs space.