Tree Pruning

Velte Forestry and Arboriculture encourages all of our customers to invest in the general health of their property from trees and plants to flowers and turfgrass.  Although our specialty and passion are trees, our company goal is to promote a landscape that is visually and physiologically attractive and vibrant.  Because of our high landscape expectations, our tree pruning is carried out with the most advanced, non-invasive climbing techniques and safe work practices. All of the tree pruning that we do is inline with the ISA code of ethics and ANSI A300 pruning standards.

Tree pruning is an essential cultural practice that all qualified arborists perform to promote tree health and longevity.  With any given residential or commercial property, there are a variety of reasons that warrant a property owners attention to the practice of tree pruning.  In typical scenarios, an owner may want to remove hazardous limbs to provide clearance from a structure i.e. house, garage, barn, or commercial building.  He or she may also want to elevate branches over a high traffic area in order to gain greater exposure to light, benefitting a garden or landscape bed.  Broken tree limbs and stems cause by damage from inclement weather will also arise in our fluctuating Colorado environment.  These will require immediate attention especially for safety reasons.  Regardless of the existing situation or desired end, maintaining the overall canopy size of any tree specie via pruning will provide the property owner the assurance of enhancing the fitness of their trees.  This will, in turn, contribute to the overall health of the landscape. 

Typical Pruning Practices

Tree Crown Thinning:  Selectively pruning the canopy of a tree, targeting crossing and rubbing branches that inhibit individual stem health/growth.  Thinning will also allow more light to enter the canopy and will reduce the wind sail effect.

Tree Crown Reduction:  Reducing branch length to maintain desired tree size.  This type of pruning can also be used to mitigate over-weighted branches and reduce the potential for failure.  Care must be taken to ensure that limb cuts are made to adequate lateral branches to all for proper healing. 

Tree Crown Raising:  Removing lower branches in the canopy of the tree to improve aesthetics as well as landscape functionality.  This practice improves the clearance for vehicles or impeded sidewalks as well as allowing more light to penetrate certain targeted areas, shrubs, landscape beds, and juvenile trees.

Tree Safety Pruning:  Removing diseased and dead branches.  These are not only hazardous to the overall health of the tree, but could pose safety issues to residents, pedestrians, and children. 

Tree Removal

Situations arise where removing a tree is the only option. Regardless of the tree specie, shape, or size, our company thrives on our ability to conduct tree removals safely and professionally. We use the most current and advanced rigging techniques. This allows us to craft technical plans in order to work carefully and efficiently at your property. By incorporating sound safety protocols within our removal practices, this helps us to mitigate damage to the existing landscape or physical structures on the property.

Depending on the situational variables of the tree removal and its relationship to the property, if the tree cannot be taken down by our advanced climbing techniques the use of cranes can be incorporated. Furthermore, if the remaining stump, regardless of the diameter size requires removal, our company has the ability to grind it well below ground level. In most cases, we have the ability to completely remove the stump and its connecting root zone.

Tree Risk Assessment

Trees are a valuable component of any property. In many cases, homeowners are nervous that the trees surrounding their homes are not structurally sound and request to have the trees removed. In most cases, the tree does not have to be removed. There are a variety of mitigation options that can be implemented depending on the situation.

As qualified tree risk assessors we can accurately identify potential hazards that may not be readily observed by the untrained eye. There are a variety of reasons a tree or branch might fail (poor root system, root rot, stem decay, included bark). Our qualified arborists can identify these hazards and give potential mitigation options or confirm that it needs to be removed. If desired, a report can be prepared for the client after the assessment has been completed.

Fire Mitigation and Defensible Space Assessments

If you live in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), fire mitigation should be one of your biggest concerns. With a changing climate, the era of mega fires is here. Every summer produces record breaking fires with the ability to burn through communities with out a moments notice. Having a proper defensible space is the first line of defense for your home. A proper defensible space will give firefighters a chance to save you and your home.

A proper defensible space includes manipulation of the vegetation surrounding your home and structures. There are 3 defined treatment zones. Zone 1 is closest to the home (15 feet) requiring all flammable vegetation to be removed. Zone 2 extends any where from 70 to 200 feet from your house depending on slope. This is the zone of fuel reduction through thinning and ladder fuel removal. Zone 3 extends from the edge of the zone 2 boundary to the property boundary. This is the zone for general forest management. Focus should be put on maintaining forest health.

We have the ability to complete defensible space assessments and implement them.

Forest Management Plans

Colorado has approximately 7 million acres of private forestland. Management of these forested parcels can provide a number of benefits including additional income, reduction in wildfire hazard, and resilience to insect and disease infestations. Forests provide a number of ecosystem services including water filtration, carbon sequestration and wildlife habitat.

There are a few programs that private landowners can utilize to assist them in managing their forests.

• Colorado State Forest Service Forest Ag Program

• Forest Legacy Program

• Natural Resource Conservation Service EQIP

Contact us if you have questions regarding your private forestland.

Tree Inventories

HOA’s, special districts and municipalities all have a valuable resource that fall within their jurisdiction; trees. Having an up to date tree inventory can help with proper maintenance of the trees and can help with identifying major insect and disease issues. A tree inventory can also provide a starting point for a comprehensive urban forest management plan or a annual maintenance plan.

Tree inventories can be designed to fit the clients needs. We can do simple inventories that gather species and location data or we can collect a variety of attributes that can help with the development of a proper management plan.