Tree Removal

An arborist can help decide whether or not a tree should be removed. ATP Arborist/Climbers have the skills and equipment to safely and efficiently remove trees. The rule however should always be to first make every effort to preserve the tree and only consider removal after a complete and informed investigation of the surroundings and all circumstances that bring removal into consideration.

Removal is recommended when the tree is:

1. dead or dying without any potential mitigation for recovery
2. considered to be a hazard tree through informed investigation
3. causing an obstruction that is impossible to correct through pruning
4. crowding and causing harm to other trees
5. to be replaced by a more suitable specimen
6. determined to be unable to be preserved or protected in development

Removal of hazardous limbs at Fung Kai Middle School in Shueng Shui Hong Kong

If any of the above factors are determined to fit your needs, our professional tree workers have the skills and equipment to safely and efficiently do the job. Experience, modern equipment and the most updated training allows our workers to remove trees safely and economically with minimal disturbance to the landscape and surrounding vegetation. We will recommend removal if a tree is dead, dying, or considered hazardous due to a rated visual or quantitative evaluation of the internal wood conditions and or root zone by application of various measuring and calibrating instruments . Removal may be necessary when a tree is causing an obstruction or is crowding and causing harm to other trees and the situation is impossible to correct through pruning. Finally, removal may be considered when the tree is discovered or otherwise determined to be unsuitable to the location due to size or species in relationship to the environmental conditions.

Any tree that is determined must be removed should also include a consideration for replacement by a similar or more suitable specimen depending on the circumstances. A rule of mitigation for hazardous and unsuitable tree removal should always include a plan to consider replacement for the sake of the environment and the aesthetics of the surroundings.

On some occasions trees require special applications for safe removal and ATP has the experience in applying a wide range of technical operations. ATP has the experience with a wide range of aerial lift bucket machinery and cranes for the serious and challenging job of removal.

Stump Extraction:

can be a challenge however there are several alternatives to removal of the stump which are normally applied in North America and European areas. Usually it is challenging to carry a stump grinding machine within the confines of the major urban areas of Asia. In some places there are restrictions on towing machinery on the back of trucks and lorries.

Mechanical:

There are several methods of removing tree stumps. Mechanical routing is the quickest method.. Stump grinding machines generally operate with a large flywheel equipped with cutting teeth. The operator moves the cutter head over the stump, grinding it away a little at a time. The machines currently avaiable come in many sizes, and some are designed to work in tight places. Efficiency of the grinding process is a factor of the size of the cutter head, the power of the machine, and the proficiency of the operator. 

Decomposition

Other methods of stump removal depend mostly on the chemical decomposition of the wood. If left alone after tree removal, the stump will gradually decay in the ground, from natural fungus and bacteria. This process can take from one to many years, depending on the size of the stump, the species of tree, and the soil conditions. The process of decay can be encouraged by keeping the soil in the area moist. Piling soil or mulch over the stump encourages the decay fungus. The addition of some nitrogen fertilizer will also help speed the process a little. At best, this method may cut the decay time in half.
Commercial products have been marketed to dissolve tree stumps.. Most of these products claim rapid breakdown of the stump.. However, few, if any of these products dissolve the stump much faster than natural decay processes.

Digging

Digging the stump out is another removal option. Using large equipment such as a backhoe can accomplish the job efficiently, for smaller stumps. Hand digging the stump can be very difficult, even for the stumps of small trees. If hand removal is considered, the trunk of the tree should be left as tall as possible, to provide leverage to loosen and break the roots as the digging progresses.

It is not practical to remove all of the roots of a tree. In most cases, the main part of the stump is routed or dug out, leaving the smaller lateral roots in the ground to decay. The stump should be routed to a depth that will allow the proper function of the area: if turf is planned, the stump should be at least 8 to 12 inches below the ground level. If landscaping or replanting is anticipated, the stump should be removed to a deeper level, depending on the intended purpose. Some stump router machines can grind the stump to 24 inches deep, or more.

“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago , the second best time is today!” Chinese Proverb