Tree Cabling

Service Description

Tree Preservation The wonderful thing about trees is that they are all unique, no tree is the same and they all grow in weird and wonderful ways. The downside is, some trees can form weak unions/attachments or have certain limbs that are over extending because they are reaching for the light. In an urban environment this can be of concern as they pose a potential threat to people and property. Trees are aesthetically pleasing and provide added value to a city such as Vancouver. Therefore, preservation is an important part of tree care. There are several methods used to help preserve trees by using supplemental support systems, such as cabling, bracing, guying and propping. This article focuses on cabling and provides an insight into one of the cabling techniques we use. Quite often our clients ask if cabling is where you wrap cable around the tree. They are concerned it may look unsightly and are unsure of how it actually works. In fact cabling is very subtle and in some cases almost unnoticeable. The cables are installed in the canopy and are not wrapped around the tree but stretch, individually from one limb to another. Why do we install cables? There are three main reasons why we would install a cable or supplemental support system 1. Prevention – to reduce the chance of limb failure on an otherwise healthy tree that has potentially weak unions/crotches 2. Preservation – to preserve the existence of a damaged or weak tree for its amenity or aesthetic value 3. Protection – to mitigate the chance of failure in a potentially hazardous tree or one which poses a high risk e.g. if it is located over property of a frequently populated location like a park bench or footpath. The most common cable installation is the simple or direct cable, one cable between two limbs. Sometimes a tree will require more than one cable. In the simplest form cabling is essentially a single cable which is installed directly into one limb of a tree and runs to another limb. The cable reduces (but should not restrict) movement and stress on the weak point and helps mitigate the risk of failure.

Contact Details