Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Doylestown?
- 2 Does the City of Doylestown Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Doylestown?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Doylestown?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Doylestown?
- 6 What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Doylestown?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Doylestown?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Doylestown?
Doylestown is a borough and the county seat of Bucks County in Pennsylvania. Although it is located only 15 miles from New Jersey, 25 miles from Pennsylvania, 25 miles from Philadelphia, and 65 miles from New York City, its own world-class cultural facilities and elegant Victorian architecture and historic attractions rival even those of many large cities.
Today, Doylestown is known for its historic buildings, such as the Fountain House, its wine attractions, and its gorgeous vegetation that helps the borough really come to life. That is why residents in Doylestown need to take proper care of their trees and plants in order for them to continue to grow and survive. Yet, before residents can take preventative actions to help this vegetation thrive, it is important that they understand that trees in the area are vulnerable to certain types of diseases and pests that can cause them serious issues.
Apple Scab
Apple scab is a type of fungus that attacks both cultivated and wild apple and crabapple trees. Typically, the first sign of this infection occurs on the leaves surrounding the flower buds. As it grows, the lesions become more pronounced and appear as dull yellow, olive-green, or brown spots.
If the infection is severe, leaves can become dwarfed or twisted and start to fall off. In addition, the tree’s fruit may also become infected and cause lesions and ultimately premature drop.
Cedar Apple Rust
The cedar-apple rust is a fungal disease that occurs on apple and crabapple trees, but it can also spread to numerous junipers and red cedars. This disease results in pale yellow spots on the leaves, which can turn orange over time. Additionally, small black fungal bodies can show up within the spots. Over time, the disease can cause premature leaf and fruit drop.
Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a group of related fungal leaf and stem diseases that have been known to go after deciduous trees, including the Maple, Sycamore, Ash, Dogwood, and others. Generally, symptoms of this disease include small dead spots on leaves, browning areas along leaf veins, twig death, dying buds, and premature defoliation.
Does the City of Doylestown Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
Since trees are a natural resource that improves air quality, reduces stormwater runoff, raises property value, and contributes to the area’s aesthetics, the Borough of Doylestown encourages the planting of trees on properties within the region.
However, the borough also sets rules regarding the pruning and removal of trees. For instance, a permit is not required to prune trees, but Doylestown does have a Tree Removal Ordinance that regulates the removal of trees within the borough. The ordinance requires that before a property owner can remove a protected tree, the homeowner needs to acquire a permit from the Department of Building and Zoning, located at 57 West Court Street.
Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Doylestown?
Typically, property owners in Doylestown are responsible for maintaining their vegetation, including their plants and private trees. Yet, if one of these trees falls, determining who is responsible for the costs associated with removing the tree may not be as clear-cut as many property owners expect it to be. Technically, it will often depend on the specifics of the situation.
If you’re a homeowner?
In Pennsylvania, the property laws indicate that if a tree falls because of a natural cause, such as a severe storm, the property owner of the place where the tree fell will be responsible for removing the tree. However, it is essential to note that Pennsylvania also requires property owners to reasonably care for their trees in order to prevent them from damaging their neighbor’s property. As a result, if a tree shows signs of weakness or disease, the property owner must make corrections to the tree within a reasonable period of time. Otherwise, if the tree falls, they can be held responsible for the costs associated with the fallen tree.
If you’re a renter?
Before a renter moves into a home, they will usually enter into a property agreement with a landlord, where they will discuss their different roles and how they will take care of the property. However, if issues develop that are not mentioned in the contract, the landlord will often be responsible for making necessary repairs, while the renter will be in charge of maintaining the property. For these reasons, if a tree falls, it will most likely go beyond the renter’s responsibility and become the landlord’s issue.
If you’re a landlord?
As discussed previously, the landlord is generally responsible for a fallen tree unless the property agreement states otherwise. This means that if a tree falls, the landlord will have to handle the costs associated with removing the fallen tree.
If you’re a neighbor?
In general, if a tree falls onto a neighbor’s property because of natural causes, such as heavy winds, rain, or a storm, then the neighbor will have to file a claim with their own property insurance to get reimbursed for their losses and expenses.
Yet, if the property owner knew or should have known that their tree was sick or dangerous but took no action to fix the problem, then if the tree falls onto the neighbor’s property, they can be held accountable for the damages that resulted and the removal costs.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Doylestown?
Doylestown is known to have Gray-Brown Podzolic zonal soils. These various soils are generally infertile, poorly drained, and are physically limiting soils for productive use. They tend to be highly acidic, have high C/N ratios, and lack most plant nutrients. Typically, when they are used for arable cropping, long-term fertilization is required.
Yet, regardless of its properties, almost 50% of the Doylestown soil is cropland, while the rest is non-farmland, pastures, and woodland. Most of the wooded areas consist of water-tolerant mixed hardwoods.
For these reasons, before you start planting trees in Doylestown, it is essential to look into tree varieties that can handle this unique soil and its elements, such as:
- Red Maple
- Sugar Maple
- Green Vase Zelkovas
- Green Giant Arborvitaes
- Dawn Redwoods
- Eastern White Pines
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Doylestown?
Pennsylvania has a variety of climates due to its diverse geographic and landscape features. However, Doylestown is located in a region that has a humid subtropical climate that lends to overall warmer weather in every season. Yet, even still, the area still sees relatively cold winters, with significant rainfall throughout the year.
That is why it is crucial when choosing trees for the area to consider ones that can handle the ever-changing climate conditions the borough tends to deal with.
What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Doylestown?
Trees and other types of vegetation are contributors to almost 30% of all-electric service interruptions. Because of these problems, companies such as PECO are committed to providing preventative pruning to help keeps trees and power lines a safe distance apart.
PECO’s vegetation management crews are trained to provide proper arboricultural pruning techniques and take into account the tree’s growth rate, species, and location of the tree in relation to the overhead wires, as well as the overall health of the tree, regulatory requirements, and site conditions before starting any trimming projects. However, because trimming trees near power lines is hazardous, PECO’s tree removal contractors are also specially trained to work closely to electrical conductivity.
If you require assistance with your trees, you need to submit a service request with the company or contact them to speak with a representative for further information regarding what needs to be done.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Doylestown?
In Doylestown, the cost of removing a tree will depend on numerous factors, including the area surrounding the tree, the size of the tree, and the equipment needed to remove the tree. However, before you spend thousands of dollars on this removal project, you need to learn more about these different cost factors and how they will impact the job’s overall price. This way, you can be better prepared to cover the costs of the work done.
The Size of the Tree
In Doylestown, the tree size will play a significant role in the job’s final costs. For instance, on average, the price of tree removal in the area ranges around $500. However, if your property contains a giant tree, it can cost you anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 to remove.
The Terrain and Other Factors Surrounding the Tree
Another critical factor you need to be aware of is the terrain and the accessibility of the tree. For instance, many times, our arborists will look to whether:
- Removing the tree’s debris from the location will be an extensive, labor-intensive, and time-consuming job.
- The property where the tree is located is small and may pose some issues for our specialists to access the tree.
- It will be challenging to get large equipment into the yard to remove the tree.
In addition, our experts will also need to verify the area surrounding the tree and whether it poses any problems for them, such as if a garden or fence blocks the tree or if the tree is on a slope or has power wires running right next to it. If any of these elements are present, it can increase the final costs of the tree removal project.
The Tree’s Health and Its Stability
If a tree is dead, dying, diseased, or at risk of falling over, our experts may require special equipment and safety precautions to ensure that injury can be prevented during the removal of the tree. However, if this special care is needed, the job’s overall costs will also increase.
