Ethical question

[treeman82]

I am wondering on what view you guys take on this situation. I feel that it is unethical, but I am wondering what you guys think.

Tree company is paid to come in on a regular basis and spray 2 white birch trees in front of a house. They are also paid to come in and prune them every few years. In addition to that, they also do SSF at the place. 1 birch tree dies from bronze birch borers. They get paid to remove it. The 2nd one dies within another year or so from bronze birch borers. They get paid to remove that too. They get paid to grind out both stumps. They get paid to plant 3 river birches in about the same place. The trees are planted kind of haphazardly; rather high, no mulch, not very tidy.

 

[rumination]

What's SSF?

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Not enough information to judge.

 

[Gord]

not enough info...how much of work was client-requested for example

 

[treeman82]

SSF = Sub Surface Fertilization.

As far as client requested work goes, all I can really say is that those 2 white birches were the only really significant foundation planting in front of the house. When they went, it opened the house up a LOT to the road. The only other things where they were, is pacysandra. So either the client requested it, or the company sold it which would have been EASY.

The main thing that I see though as being unethical is that they were being paid to maintain a landscape. When they failed, they didn't really get hit with a penalty, just more work. If a person doesn't know too much about proper tree care, it shouldn't be that hard to sell the idea that "There was nothing we could do."

 

[Nickrosis]

You have a good point. It's profitable point for that company, but it's a black eye for all of us. When they wise up to it (probably when a more qualified company comes along and explains the story), the customer will be pissed! And with good reason.

It is a little hard with what you've told us because there are surprise situations that come up from time to time. For example, Phytophthora, a soil-borne fungus, is poised to wreak havoc in our area as things dry out. But how will we know where to be and when for all of our customers when something like this and overcome a tree in just a couple of days?

In your story, it's pretty clear they were looking in the wrong direction with those trees and missed the trunks entirely. Not uncommon but unfortunate nonetheless.

 

[Stumper]

An interesting question. The medical profession gives no refunds for killing the patient-most Doctors and Nurses are sincerely trying to help not harm but they do kill many patients.
If I were in that company's position I'd have priced the removals low because my care was ineffective. Planting more birches seems incredibly foolish-but that might have been the customer's call.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by Stumper
Planting more birches seems incredibly foolish-but that might have been the customer's call.

Riverbirches, B. nigra, are resistant to the borer.

treeman82, how much of your objection stems from the "sloppy" planting style? Aesthetics and ethics; ne'er the twain shall meet?

 

[Stumper]

Ahhh......Thanks Guy, we have no River Birches here and the principal problem for the birches we have is soil related not borers-I was not aware of the difference in susceptibility.

 

[murphy4trees]

Sounds more like incompetent than unethical to me...
Were the white birches on the south side of the house???

 

[NYCHA FORESTER]

Personally, I think spraying for Bronze Birch Borer is irresponsible. My choice is Merit soil drench at the base of the tree (not the Deep Root method) A distant second would be either Bidrin/Merit injection if there is evidence that the critter is already in the tree and it (the tree) was still salvageable. You will also control Birch Leaf Miner.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

sounds like the client was getting ripped off on a fairly regular basis..''regularly pruning birch'' ..that alone sounds like bad advice!!!

 

[treeman82]

Daniel, unfortunately I don't keep a compass around. However, if I had to guess I would say that they were planted on the North or Northeast side of the house.