Expert: Get an unbiased arborist’s opinion before taking storm-damaged trees down

Wednesday night’s storms downed a significant number of trees, some whole and some partial.  As the clean-up continues, a Purdue University expert advises caution before making the decision to take down the rest of a partially-damaged tree.

There can be good reasons to remove the rest of the tree after part of it comes down during a storm. It might have fallen partly because it already had been weakened by disease or insects.

So says Mark Evans, a plant and soil science extension educator with Purdue Cooperative Extension in Elkhart County. To get an expert opinion, Evans recommends using the “Find an Arborist” tool on the Indiana Arborist Association’s website.

But Evans says to be careful. Many, if not most, certified and licensed arborists on the site are also for-profit tree removal companies. Evans recommends getting an opinion from an arborist who doesn’t offer tree removal.

“If the arborist says, well we also take trees down, I would say, well you’re not taking the tree down. I will get somebody else but I want your opinion,” Evans said.

Such an arborist will charge a fee. Evans recommends keeping records of their assessment of the tree. That can protect you from liability in the future if they say the tree is healthy but it later falls and causes injury or property damage.