Signature Tree Care, LLC - Proper Care Doesn't Cost, It Pays...

At times, homeowners are unaware of the county and city ordinances regarding the proper pruning, removal and planting of trees. Trees represent several values to our communities and must be correctly managed in an ever more developing urban environment. Several of the reasons codes are written are to protect the safety of citizens, right of way traffic, the well being of our community, the tree and the combined overall urban canopy. Once a tree is pruned improperly its risk of failure will be increased unless appropriate remediation is employed.

Improperly pruned trees:

	Predispose tree to an increased risk of failure during wind events creating hazards to people, property, utilities and emergency access
	Create defects and deformities forming weaknesses which can remain for the life of the tree
	Produce more debris during a wind event which adds more taxpayer burden
	Increase total canopy loss in our community
	Increase loss of habitat
	Increase loss of shade and screening values
	Increases growth of the tree canopy to replace what was removed creating extreme density which is weak wooded and involves poor branch attachments
	Require more frequent pruning
	Cost more to prune in the future

Important Notes:

	Although a tree may have a full green canopy after an improper pruning, it does not signify that it is healthy. Upon close inspection it is observed that excessive weak growth is a product of stress.

	Often times it is only evident what the effects of improper pruning have on a tree after a major wind event and all of its associated costs are totaled. For example, over pruned trees suffer more damage or even death from a wind event due to the decreased strength of the branch attachments and the change in dynamics of how a tree should move in the wind.

Example of Improper Pruning: Over-lifting or "Lions Tailing"

Remediation Process:

Once you contract with Signature Tree Care, we communicate directly with the county code enforcement officer regarding your situation. We will act as the agent working between you and the county to resolve any issues and to answer questions you may have throughout the entire process.

After the arborist inspection we will provide you and the code enforcement officer with a written arborist evaluation to determine if a pruning program may rectify the violation. In the event that a pruning program may not return the tree to a productive, healthy and safe structure then the only option is to remove and replace the tree with a county recommended tree (see Collier County planting list below).

In some cases, the cost of cure for a restorative pruning program may outweigh the removal & replacement cost. This decision would then be based on the homeowner's preference.

Example of Improper Pruning: "Hat-racked" tree

Once the remedial action has been completed, both parties will be notified. A follow up site visit by the code officer will be made to document that remedial action has been performed and is compliant with the county.

Proper Pruning Techniques:

	For more information on proper pruning techniques, please refer to www.treesaregood.com/treecare/topping.aspx & http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/pruning.shtml
	For more information on proper palm pruning, please refer to University of Florida publication.

Below is the list of approved plantings for Collier County.
Collier County Native Plant List Guide

Plant	Coastal Zone	Mid Zone	Inland Zone
Trees- Large
Bald cypress (Taxodium disticuum)	X	X	X
Fiddlewood (Citharexylum fruticosum)	X	X
Gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba)	X
Hackberry (Celtis laevigata)	X	X	X
**Jamaica Dogwood (Piscidia piscipula)	X
Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia)	X	X	X
**Live oak (Quercus virginianna)	X	X	X
**Mahogany (Swietenia mahogoni)	X	X
Mastic (Mastichodendron foetidissimum)	X	X
Native fig (Ficus aurea)	X
Paradise tree (Simarouba glauca)	X
****Red maple (Acer rubrum)	X	X	X
Royal palm (Roystonea elata)	X	X
Seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera)	X	X
*Slash pine (Pinus elliottii)	X	X	X
Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)	X	X	X
Sycamore (Platanue occidentalis)	X	X	X
West indian laurelcherry (Prunus myrtifolia)	X
**Wild tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum)	X	X
Willow bustic (Dipholis salicifolia)	X	X	?
Wingleaf soapberry (Sapindus saponaria)	X	X

Trees- Medium to Small
Black ironwood (Krugiodendron ferreum)	X	X
Blolly (Guapira discolor)	X
Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)	X
*Cabbage palm (Sabal Palmetto)	X	X	X
Dahoon holly (Ilex cassine)	X	X	X
East Palatka holly (Ilex attenuata)	X	X	X
Florida elm (Ulmus americana)	X	X	X
*Geiger tree (Cordia sebestena)	X
*Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)	X	X	X
Milkbark (Drypetes diversifolia)	X
*Pigeon plum (Coccoloba diversifolia)	X
Satin leaf (Chrysophyllum oliviforme)	X
Scrub hickory (Carya floridana)	X	X	X
Scrub live oak (Quercus geminata)	X	X	X
Simpson stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans)	X	X	X
Soldierwood (Colubrina elliptica)	X

Shrubs- Large (‘B’ Buffers)
Bahama strongbark (Bourreria ovata)	X
Black ironwood (Krugiodendron ferreum)	X	X
Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)	X
Catclaw (Pithecellobium unguis-cati)	X	X
Cinnamon bark (Canella winterana)	X
Cinnecord Acacia (Acacia choriophylla)	X	X
Crabwood (Ateramnus lucidus)	X	X
Darling plum (Reynosia septentriolalis)	X
Florida privet (Forestiera segregata)	X	X	?
Golden Dewdrop (Duranta repens)	X	X

Large shrubs cont.	Coastal Zone	Mid Zone	Inland Zone
Jamaica caper (Capparis cynophallophora)	X	X
Maiden bush (Savia bahamensis)	X
Myrsine (Myrsine floridana)	X	X	?
Pigeon plum (Coccoloba diversifolia)	X
Paurotis palm (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii)	X	X
Red berry stopper (Eugenia confusa)	X
Seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera)	X	X
Wild Lime (Zanthoxylum tagara)	X	X
Simpson Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans)	X	X	X
Spicewood (Calyptranthes spp.)	X
Walters Viburnum (Viburnum obovatum)	X	X	X
**Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera)	X	X	X
Yellow elder (Tecoma stans	X	X	?

Shrubs- Medium to Small
Bay cedar (Suriana maritime)	X
Blackbead (Pithecellobium guadalupense)	X	X
Coco plum (Chrysobalanus icaco)	X
Cordia (Cordia globosa)	X
Firebush (Hamelia patens)	X	X
Florida privet (Forestiera segregata)	X	X	?
Golden Dewdrop (Duranta repens)	X	X
Jamaica caper (Capparis cynophallophora)	X	X
Leather fern (Acrosticham danaeaefolium)	X	X
Maiden bush (Savia bahamensis)	X
Myrsine (Myrsine floridana)	X	X	?
Necklace pod (Sophora tomentosa)	X
Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)	X	X	X
Sea Oxeye Daisy (Borrichia trutescens)	X
Seven Year Apple (Casasia clusiitolia)	X
Silver saw palmetto (Serenoa repens ‘Cinerea’)	X	X	X
Spicewood (Calyptranthes spp.)	X
White Indigo Berry (Randia aculeate)	X	X
Wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa)	X	X

* Cabbage palms must be used in groupings of 3 to count towards canopy tree requirements. Palms can only be used for up to 30% of the canopy requirements.
** Not a good buffer shrub – becomes leggy over time.