INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Hurricane season starts June 1 and with hurricanes, sometimes property damage occurs. Not all damage occurring during a storm is a result of high winds alone. Property damage can also be a result of falling trees and flying landscape debris. The key to minimizing your risk against property damage is storm preparedness.
There is no such thing as a hurricane-resistant landscape but with proper care and timely maintenance overseen by a certified arborist, trees can be more resistant to storm damage.
“Pruning is vital to hurricane damage prevention,” said Senior Forester Calin Ionita, Florida Forest Service. “A strong, deep-rooted tree may not fall during a storm, but weak limbs in the canopy may. Broken, dead and damaged limbs can be torn from trees during a storm and turned into dangerous projectiles.”
Four easy steps to preparing your trees for hurricane season:
1. Choose a tree to plant that has a strong root system, trunks, and branches. There are certain species of trees that are more wind-resistant than others.
2. Plant trees away from the house and power lines. In 10-15 years, the tree will be a lot bigger than when it was planted.
3. Once trees have established themselves, properly prune them. Proper pruning will encourage the development of a sturdy, well-spaced framework of healthy branches around a central leader. Thin out the canopy edge, allowing air to pass through freely.
4. Consider hiring an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture to prune.
“Don’t feel you have to go chainsaw crazy,” says Ionita. “Good pruning practices rarely remove more than 1/3 of the crown, as known as topping. Topping removes so much of the crown that it upsets an older tree’s well-developed crown to root ratio and temporarily cuts off its food-making ability. The tree goes into shock and readily produces new shoots. With the proper care and preparation, most trees are fairly resilient to storms, and although they may sustain damage, many will recover.”
No one can control the weather, but with the help of a qualified local Senior Forester, it is possible to take positive steps to mitigate the weather’s effects on trees. For questions about tree care, identification, tree diseases, or pests and insects, please contact Senior Forester Calin Ionita, Florida Forest Service at (863) 655-6409.
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages 37 state forests on more than 1 million acres of public forest land while protecting 26 million acres of homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.
For questions about burn authorizations and wildfire prevention, please contact the local Florida Forest Service: Indian River County (772) 778-5085