Sunday, January 24, 2016

Cabling And Bracing Trees In Florida

Cabling and bracing are the two most common forms of structural support for trees. They involve installing flexible cables or rigid rods to reduce the chances of failure of defective unions. Cables are installed high in the tree, at least 2/3 the distance from the defect to the crown. Rods are installed much lower, just above and/or below the defect of the tree's structure. Cables are always stronger than rods because of their greater leverage. Cables can be used alone, but bracing is always supplemented with cables.

Trees can grow in such a manner that their physical structure can no longer support their own weight. This is particularly common in mature multi-trunked trees and trees with open canopies. Failure of a large branch or trunk can result in property damage, personal injury, or the decline of a tree’s health. Cables and bracing rods are tools arborists use to protect or improve the structural integrity of trees.

There are three major uses of cabling and bracing. Prevention: to reduce the chance of failure on a healthy tree with structural weakness. For example: a specimen bur oak in good condition but having large limbs with "V-crotches" would be an ideal candidate for cabling and bracing. Restoration: to prolong the existence of a damaged tree. Perhaps a large live oak has lost one of its leaders in a storm, leaving the others suddenly exposed and vulnerable to further damage. And finally mitigation: to reduce the hazard potential of a tree's location, as in the case of a picturesque multi-stemmed hickory that towers over a picnic shelter.

The installation of cables and bracing rods, along with pruning to reduce end-weight can reduce the likelihood of a structural failure. Properly installed cables help to redistribute structural stress, and bracing rods can provide support to branch attachments deemed weak. A combination of cabling and bracing can successfully address existing splitting limbs and trunks. A Certified Arborist can best determine if your trees can benefit from the installation of cables and bracing rods.

Be sure to choose a certified arborist who is knowledgeable and experienced in this area.
There are many important technical aspects to correct cabling and bracing. For example, the strength and material of the hardware utilized, the arrangement of the cables (simple, triangle, box) or rods (single, multiple, etc.) and the location, type and size of the entries made into the tree. Cabling can substantially reduce the likelihood of structural failure. Every cable installation is tree specific. A certified arborist can determine the best cabling arrangement for multi-trunked trees.