Our Relationship to the Trees
Before we talk about tree care, we need to understand our relationship to trees. Our relationship with trees is deeply emotional, even if most people don’t think about it that way. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) recognized the cultural, emotional, and amenity value trees bring to human life. They’re part of our environment, our identity, and even our DNA. For many homeowners, concerns about tree health come down to one thing: safety. Nine times out of ten, when someone calls us, it’s because they’re worried about a tree falling, a branch breaking, or a potential hazard near their home. Those fears are understandable, and at the end of the day, it is always the property owner’s decision whether a tree should stay or come down.
But our perception of trees is shaped by where and how we live. For people who grow up around forests, trees are familiar and comforting. For those who spend most of their lives in cities or suburbs, the forest can feel foreign, something to fear. This relationship changes tree owners’ perception of the health and safety of their tree. By paying attention to trees only when things go wrong, a tree owner might be surprised to learn their tree is unhealthy, even if the warning signs have always been there.
Tree failures are not mysterious. Everything alive is in a gradual state of change, and trees show very predictable symptoms when they’re stressed, declining, or structurally compromised. Understanding those signs is the foundation of good tree care. PC Hoag’s approach is to help homeowners see the whole picture, appreciating the benefits their trees provide while making informed, science-based decisions about their safety and long-term health.
Common Tree Problems
Many of New Hampshire’s & Maine’s most common tree issues, and come down to one underlying problem: the trees are slowly starving. Most residential soils lack the organic matter and minerals trees rely on to stay healthy. When nutrients decline, the first signs show up in the crown of the tree. The crown of the tree is the part with leaves, branches, and twigs. When a tree is starving, the foliage becomes less green, branches begin to die back, and the tree produces less chlorophyll. These symptoms often appear years before a serious failure, but they go unnoticed until the decline becomes dramatic.
Once the tree is stressed, other organisms can easily move in. Insects and diseases play a major role, but they are usually secondary problems rather than the primary cause. One of the clearest examples of diseases plaguing our trees is the ongoing struggle with New Hampshire’s white pines. These trees, which make up roughly 45 percent of the state’s tree population, are currently being attacked by three different species of needle fungi. These fungi reduce a pine’s ability to absorb nitrogen which is a key building block for growth. Despite their challenges, white pines provide tremendous ecological value. They filter particulate matter from the air, help reduce pollution, create shade, and support diverse wildlife habitats. What makes this a greater problem is they are soft conifers, which means they are naturally more prone to storm damage and branch breakage. In many cases, careful and strategic pruning is the most effective way to maintain their structure and prevent these issues from becoming hazardous.
Understanding these common problems is the first step in making informed decisions about long-term tree health and safety on your property. To learn more about about the signs of an unhealthy tree, visit our blog Signs Your Trees Aren’t Healthy: A Guide to Plant Health Care
When Tree Removal Becomes Necessary
While we never want tree removal to be the only choice, there are situations where it becomes the safest and most responsible decision. When a tree poses a clear risk to people or property, it deserves what arborists often call a dignified death. That is a careful, intentional removal based on evidence, not fear.
Serious structural issues are usually the determining factor. Major cracks in the trunk, mushrooms growing from the wood, and large hollows can all indicate advanced decay. Interestingly, a tree can lose a significant amount of internal wood, up to 70 percent, and still remain stable. This is because the outer shell, not the inner core, is what provides structural support. The key is understanding when the remaining outer wood is no longer strong enough to safely support the tree. This is why it is important to have a professional tree risk assessment before making any decisions.
With that being said, every removal decision ultimately rests with the property owner. PC Hoag’s role is to provide clear, science-driven guidance. This starts with a Visual Tree Assessment, which identifies defects, evaluates the tree’s exposure, and considers how likely it is to fail within a given period. Site orientation is also important. Factors like prevailing wind direction, soil conditions, and evidence of previous failures on the property all help determine the level of risk. When these indicators point toward instability, removal becomes a necessity for the safety of the homeowners and the surrounding landscape.
How Trees Are Removed Safely
Once a tree is identified as needing to be removed, the next step is removing it safely. Safe tree removal is a highly planned process that starts long before the first cut is made. PC Hoag begins by identifying the resources needed for the job. We find and bring the right labor, equipment, and materials based on the tree’s size, condition, and location. Certain sites, like conservation land, are tricky to work with and might require permission from the town or state. Every property is different, and the removal plan must be tailored to the site.
Some trees can be removed by hand using ropes, rigging, and controlled lowering techniques. Others require specialized equipment like cranes or aerial lifts, especially when the tree is large, compromised, or positioned close to a structure. The choice is driven entirely by what will keep the crew, the homeowner, and the surrounding property safest.
Site access also plays a major role. The width of a driveway, slope of the land, distance from the road, and available space for staging equipment all influence how the removal will be carried out. In some cases, limited access means the entire job must be done by hand. In others, wide-open space allows for efficient crane work that reduces time and disturbance. Regardless of the method, the goal is always to remove the tree with precision, protect the property, and leave the site clean and stable. This is why we recommend contacting local arborists or tree removal companies to safely remove the tree for you.
ANSI A300 Standards: Golden Standard of Safety & Science
Professional tree care in the United States is guided by the ANSI A300 standards. These standards are a set of industry benchmarks that outline how responsible, science-based arboriculture should be performed. These standards cover every major area of tree care, including pruning, soil management, support systems, lightning protection, planting and transplanting, construction planning, integrated vegetation management, and formal tree risk assessment. They represent the most current research and safety practices available.
A related standard, ANSI Z60, defines nursery stock requirements, ensuring that trees are grown, selected, and sold according to consistent quality guidelines. Together, these documents form the backbone of modern tree care.
Following the ANSI A300 standards is a sign of a skilled arborist. They prevent the shortcut practices that were common decades ago, when many tree-care decisions were based on tradition rather than science. Yet, surprisingly, a large portion of the industry is still unaware of these standards or chooses not to follow them. When choosing a tree care company, ask them if they use the ANSI A300 standards. Proper arborists will always use these standards.
At P.C. Hoag & Co. Inc., the ANSI A300 standards are a non-negotiable part of the work. They ensure that every decision from pruning a mature oak, fertilizing declining soil, or evaluating the risk of a large pine is grounded in research, safety, and long-term tree health. In an industry where improper work can cause permanent damage, these standards are what protect both trees and the homeowners who care for them.
Preventing Damage via Tree Cabling
Instead of removing a tree, sometimes tree-cabling is enough to ensure the longevity of a tree and the safety of the surrounding area. Tree cabling is a proven way to prevent storm damage, structural failure, and the loss of valuable mature trees. The process begins with identifying whether a tree has a structural weakness that makes it vulnerable. A tree assessor will look for a bifurcated attachment. A bifurcated attachment is when a trunk or major limb splits into two equal parts that form a sharp V shape instead of a wide, stable U.
A U-shaped union distributes weight and stress evenly, allowing the tree to flex without tearing. A V-shaped union, by contrast, concentrates pressure at a narrow attachment point. This weakens the connection and makes it far more likely to split during heavy winds, snow loads, or ice storms. When an arborist sees this kind of structure, cabling is often recommended.
Cabling works by installing high-strength steel cables or synthetic support lines high in the canopy to help the limbs share weight and move together rather than against each other. By stabilizing these weak unions, the system reduces stress, minimizes the risk of splitting, and extends the lifespan of the tree. For property owners who value their mature trees, cabling is often the difference between losing a beautiful, decades-old tree in a storm and preserving it safely for many more years. To learn more about tree cabling visit out blog How Does Tree Cabling Work?
