BOISE, Idaho — If you live in the Boise area, chances are you've got some trees on your property. The heavy snowfall that occurred over the weekend may have placed substantial strain on the trees.
Snow buildup can cause tree branches to break off and cause damage to surrounding structures.
In some cases, the whole tree could topple over, but this doesn't happen often according to the Idaho Tree Preservation's owner Ezekiel Willard.
“If things go wrong they can go pretty wrong, but I think the key is to be proactive,” Willard said. “Have a qualified individual come out and look at those trees and have a conversation with you about what you can be doing and what needs to be done. That preventative maintenance goes a long way."
Willard is a 20-year local arborist, which is defined as a tree surgeon. He said pruning trees is the way to go when trying to avoid damage to your home and property.
Pruning is the methodical process of chopping or trimming branches that pose a threat to the structural integrity of a tree, such as low hanging branches, and branches that are close to the size of the tree trunk itself.
Pruning is not something you should attempt yourself because there is a science to it, according to Willard.
It is important to have an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist come out and assess your tree.
Pruning is technically a wound to the tree, so its condition could get worse if you try this yourself or if you hire someone that doesn't know the biology of the trees.
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