Last week, I got a chance to go look at some trees along Milledge Avenue with a certified arborist. Arborists look at many things when assessing trees. Experience is critical when assessing a tree's hazard potential, but some of the things that arborists look at may help you with decisions you make about the trees around your home. These questions should help you to start thinking about the safety of your trees. If you find that you have concerns about some of your trees, you may want to call on the experience of a certified arborist.
Arborists specialize in trees and are usually trained and equipped to provide proper tree care.
However, before you let an arborist or anyone else start working on your trees, be sure to ask for proof of insurance and get a contract for all the work being done. Frank Henning is the Athens-Clarke County Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources, Georgia Cooperative Extension Service.