Someone climbing into the crown of the tree, particularly a child, risks touching a high voltage wire and suffering serious injury or death. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic is another concern. Street trees must be managed to ensure visibility and clearance for street lights and signs. The utility and the community are both responsible to the public. By working together they can obtain better results than by working alone.
Communication is the key.
Coordinating work plans and schedules increases efficiency. And, cooperation reduces the need for restrictive municipal regulations. Through cooperation the utility will become more aware of the impacts that their operations have on the urban forest. Through cooperative efforts, utilities are becoming more sensitive to the value of incorporating sound, arboriculture techniques into their vegetation management programs. And, municipal arborists are beginning to recognize utilities as an arboriculturally.