The continual loss of older trees in our local environment is of great concern. In an un-managed forest it is often the hollow decaying parts of trees, or the structural defects that provide the best habitat for some of our local fauna. Unfortunately, these are the same defects that us, as arborists will identify as posing a potential hazard in an urban setting and hence, condemn the tree for removal.
Tree hollows can take 100 or more years to develop and there are many species of birds, bats, and other mammals that rely on these places for habitat. At Tree FX we feel it is a fantastic idea to retain these habitats in an urban setting, wherever it is safe to do so. It takes a trained eye to identify when these defects or hollows would be appropriate to be retained and implement strategies to ensure the safe usefulness of this habitat.
Leaving standing habitat trunks can be a great way to retain this habitat potential and can also save you - the client money. It is often the large amount of work in removing tree trunks which can be the most expensive part of the job. So why not consider saving the trunk, saving the habitat and saving your money? Sounds like a great idea to me.
In addition to the preservation of naturally forming habitat, an area of arboriculture that Tree FX is excited to be involved in is the creation of artificial habitat in trees. Placing habitat boxes in trees is a great way to encourage animals into your yards as well as providing beneficial and necessary habitat.
We can also carve hollows into trunks which can be used by bird and bats. It is up to us to be proactive about the retention and creation of habitat where appropriate and we are excited to offer this service to our clients.
