Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Bristol?
- 2 Does the City of Bristol Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Bristol?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Bristol?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Bristol?
- 6 What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Bristol?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Bristol?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Bristol?
Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, about 120 miles southwest of Boston and approximately 100 miles northeast of New York City. Because of its quiet atmosphere, unique restaurants, and proximity to bustling cities, it has been ranked in the top 100 places to live in the United States.
Yet, although Bristol is best known as the home of ESPN and Lake Compounce, America’s oldest continuously operating theme park, it is the area’s natural beauty that truly makes the area a destination favorite for tourists and residents alike. That is why it is no surprise that Bristol residents go to great lengths to protect their plants and trees from the elements all year round. However, before homeowners can take these preventative actions, they first need to understand some of the more common tree diseases the area often has to deal with.
Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a group of related fungal stem and leaf diseases that have been known to go after deciduous trees, including dogwood, ash, sycamore, and maple trees. Typically, symptoms of this disease include small dead spots on leaves, twig death, dying buds, browning along the leaf veins, and premature defoliation.
Cedar Apple Rust
This condition is a fungal disease that occurs on apple and crabapple trees. However, it can also spread to numerous junipers and red cedars. The cedar-apple rust disease tends to result in pale yellow spots on the leaves, which can turn orange over time. In addition, small black fungal bodies can show up within the spots. Unfortunately, as the disease progresses, it can cause premature leaf and fruit drop.
Fire Blight
Fire blight is a contagious disease that often affects apples, pears, and some other members of the Rosaceae family. The condition is often influenced by seasonal weather and generally attacks the plant’s blossoms before gradually moving to the twigs and branches. The disease gets its name from the burnt appearance that the condition tends to cause to the tree.
Phytophthora Root Rot
Phytophthora root rot is a soil-borne fungal disease that causes seed rot, plant stem rot at various growth stages, and pre-and post-emergence damping-off of seedlings. Many ornamental trees are susceptible to phytophthora root rot and can develop root and crown rot, particularly in the soil around the plant base because it remains wet there for long periods of time.
Does the City of Bristol Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
In Bristol, the area’s tree warden is responsible for maintaining all the trees and shrubs within the limits of any public road or grounds, except those along state highways and public parks.
As a result, Bristol’s tree warden is accountable for enforcing all state laws to ensure that trees and shrubs in the area are preserved. However, if public safety demands, the tree warden is allowed to remove or prune any tree under their control that poses a risk to the people of Bristol.
Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Bristol?
Generally, property owners in Bristol are responsible for maintaining their own plants and private trees. However, determining liability for the costs associated with removing a fallen tree is not as straightforward as many people may assume it to be. In fact, Connecticut is not very clear on the rules regarding a fallen tree, and as a result, liability will often depend on the specific situation.
If you’re a homeowner?
Typically, if you are a homeowner in Bristol and a tree falls onto your property, you are required to take care of the costs. However, the state’s laws also indicate that landowners have no legal obligation to inspect for dying, dead, or dangerous trees and are often not held financially liable for any damage the tree causes when it falls onto another person’s property.
Yet, when it comes to injuring people, the landowner does have an obligation to prevent unreasonable risk of harm arising from natural conditions on their land, meaning the landowner could be held responsible if their tree fell and injured another person if they knew or should have known their tree was dead, dying, or dangerous before it fell.
If you’re a renter?
Generally, a renter and a landlord will enter into a rental property agreement ahead of time, agreeing on how each party will care for the property. However, if issues arise that are not mentioned in the lease, the landlord will be responsible for making any necessary repairs to the property, while the renter will be in charge of maintaining and cleaning the premises. Subsequently, if a tree falls, it will likely go beyond the renter’s scope of responsibility and become the landlord’s problem.
If you’re a landlord?
As discussed above, the landlord will often be on the hook for a fallen tree unless a property agreement indicates otherwise. This means that the landlord will be responsible for the costs associated with removing the fallen tree.
If you’re a neighbor?
In Connecticut, usually, when a tree falls onto a neighbor’s property because of an “act of God,” such as a severe storm, the property owner from where the fallen tree originated will not be liable for the costs associated with the fallen tree. Instead, the neighbor will often have to reach out to their own home insurance to get help paying for the damages.
However, in some instances, if the tree that fell was diseased or rotted or should have been cut down, the neighbor can raise the question of negligence and try to go after the tree owner for damages and expenses related to the fallen tree.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Bristol?
The Windsor soil is the unofficial state soil of Connecticut. This soil series is well-suited to the highly diversified agriculture of the state and a preferred soil for the production of fruit and vegetable crops, ornamental shrubs and trees, and silage corn.
The Windsor soil consists of excessively drained, very deep, rapidly permeable soils formed in sandy outwash or eolian deposits, which are material accumulated through wind deposits. They are found on nearly level ground through very steep slopes.
However, because Windsor’s soil has a sandy texture, it often requires supplemental irrigation to help plants grow, and gardeners must consider its high leaching potential and proximity to groundwater sources before planting trees in the area.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Bristol?
Bristol generally experiences a climate with cold winters with moderate snowfall and hot, humid summers. Yet, even though the area also gets plenty of rain, because of its fluctuating temperatures, it is important that homeowners in Bristol plant tree varieties that can handle this ever-changing weather, such as:
- Red Maple Trees
- Northern Red Oak Trees
- Beech Trees
- Eastern White Pine Trees
- Black Cherry Trees
- Black Birch Trees
- Eastern Hemlock Trees
- Sugar Maple Trees
What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Bristol?
In Connecticut, downed trees, tree limbs, and tree branches are the leading cause of power outages. For these reasons, utility companies such as Eversource are responsible for doing everything they can to provide a vegetation management program that can improve electric system safety and reliability for its customers.
That is why this vegetation management program is run by certified arborists, professionals, and qualified line clearance contractors who constantly monitor power lines and equipment throughout the area, as well as periodically trimming trees around these lines to provide secure electrical service to the neighborhoods.
For these reasons, if you have any issues with your trees interfering with your power lines, you must contact Eversource and speak with one of their representatives about the issue as quickly as possible. The company can send out a contractor to look at the problem and decide on the best course of action you should take.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Bristol?
The cost of removing a tree in Bristol will depend on numerous factors, including the tree’s health, the size of the tree, and the tree’s accessibility. However, before you spend thousands of dollars on this tree removal project, it would help if you learn more about these different factors. This way, you can be better prepared to cover the costs of the tree removal.
The Size of the Tree
In Bristol, the cost of removing a tree typically falls between $200 and $1,800, with an average of about $690. However, this amount can go up or down depending on the size of the tree. For example, the price of removing a small tree in the area can get as low as $100, while massive trees can cost upwards of $2,000 to remove.
The Area’s Terrain and the Tree’s Accessibility
Another essential factor you need to be aware of is the tree’s accessibility and the terrain. For instance, our arborists will look into whether:
- It will be difficult for our crew to access the tree
- It will be a labor-intensive and time-consuming job to remove the tree’s debris from the area
- It will be challenging to get large equipment into the yard
In addition, we will also look into whether the area surrounding the tree will pose any issues, such as if the tree is blocked by a garden or a fence, has power lines near it, or is located on a hill. If any of these elements are present, the price of removing the tree will often increase.
The Tree’s Health
If the tree is sick, dying, or at risk of falling over, we will need to use special equipment and safety precautions to ensure that injury can be prevented as the tree is being removed. Yet, if this special care is required, you should note that the overall cost of removing the tree will also go up.