Arborist and Utility Arborist

[Froggy]

Here's a question I want to throw out there. I just want to see what's everyones openion or point of view on this. How do you combine a utility arborist with and arborist? I would like to know:a) How do you stay efficient? b) How do you get the footage you need? 9if you happen to cut by the foot) c) How can you keep proper cuts and the care of trees involved in a utility arborists career?

 

[matthias]

There is nothing glamorous about gougeing 5-7 years clearance from the side of a tree. Trying to train a tree to grow away from the line at a 90 degree angle looks like crap and often kills the limb. Drop crotching and side trimming sucker up just as bad as a topping cut. Its a thankless, guilt ridden job but it pays well and its what I do. Half the year I butcher trees for the utility and the other half I butcher trees for the customer. Neither party has the trees health in mind, just their own peace of mind.

 

[MasterBlaster]

If we could just do without that danged 'lectricity!

Just do the best you can as often as possible. The important thing is you care. A lotta ROW guys don't, and that seperates YOU from THEM.

 

[Dadatwins]

There is no chance of combining line clearance with arboricare. Line companies are only concerned with the clearance of the power line but will remove only as much of a limb to 'make clearance'. They are also concerned with the amount of debris generated so they will leave stubs and such because it is less debris to clean up and dump. Less debris = more production and lower dump cost. Sad to say its all about the $$$ and not the trees. Even if you are concerned , most likely the company is not and you are stuck doing it their way.
I did it myself for a while and hated it, but it put food on the table so there it is. Of course putting the lines underground would cost billions, so the only solution might be planting the proper species under the lines to begin with.
Just my opinion.

 

[ORclimber]

Portland General Electric has a pretty good program in place. Their cycles are short, so the cuts are smaller. Smaller cuts being better for the trees than big cuts. The Asplundh crews on the property know how to make proper cuts. Although, dropcrotching a lombardy poplar without breaking the laterals is a PITA.

 

[okietreedude1]

Ive done some line clearance too and from my experiance, a lot of it depends on the power company vs. personal opinion.

The p.co's ive worked for really just wanted their clearance and like has been said, didnt care about the look of the tree. However, it is our companys interest to make the best of what you have to do. If that means taking an extra 6-12" to leave a leader.......so be it. Sure its a little bit larger cut or more brush to haul, but its leaving a proper cut. Thats were an arborist is concerned. Sometimes too talking to the homeowner to let them know what you will be doing and that you'd like to take more than the standard in order to make a proper cut will win you that freedom. sure the tree still looks butchered, but it may also be stub free. I think its the presence of stubs that makes the trees look the worst.

As for planting the proper trees under lines as Dad suggested, I dont even like the smallest of trees to go there. Nothing should be planted under the lines.

As for the home owner that puts one there, I think it is up to the nursurys and home stores selling trees to hand out literature telling people to LOOK UP! before planting. Maybe some do, most of what I see DONT.

 

[glens]

I think its the presence of stubs that makes the trees look the worst.

Amen, brother!

 

[Ekka]

Here in Australia we have the AS4373 for correct pruning cuts, however that standard has a waiver for powerline clearance and anything goes .... but recently they're doing a much better job.

 

[Froggy]

So to generalize all this. It's up to you as a climber to make the proper cuts, but along with proper cuts you have to be efficiant in your work. If you can't make the footage and the clearance required by the power company then you aren't doing your job. Trying to leave less stubs is a great start to improving the over all "look" of the tree. Even if you can't do anything else. Also getting your ISA certification would be a benifit to you. That way you have to paper workand the knowledge to make you techniques logical to the general foreman your working for.

 

[okietreedude1]

So to generalize all this. It's up to you as a climber to make the proper cuts, but along with proper cuts you have to be efficiant in your work. If you can't make the footage and the clearance required by the power company then you aren't doing your job. Trying to leave less stubs is a great start to improving the over all "look" of the tree. Even if you can't do anything else. Also getting your ISA certification would be a benifit to you. That way you have to paper workand the knowledge to make you techniques logical to the general foreman your working for.

You got it, Man!

 

[topnotchtree]

Agreed. It all depends on the climber, or foreman of the crew as to how the trees get trimmed. I wish I had pics, but I just trimmed a multi stem soft maple tree that was approx. 45 feet tall. There was a tower line on the backside of the tree, and a single phase primary lead on the other side of the tree. A crew already took a bunch off the backside for the tower lines. When we trimmed for the primary on the other side, we woulda left the very center of the tree sticking very high and looking silly. We wound up topping the entire tree (cutting to laterals of course) to make the tree look uniform and less buchered up. I know there are other crews in our area that would not have gone the extra mile to make the tree look as good as possible, but we did.