Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Red Lion?
- 2 Does the City of Red Lion Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Red Lion?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Red Lion?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Red Lion?
- 6 What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Red Lion?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Red Lion?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Red Lion?
There’s something beautiful and unique about the landscapes of Red Lion and all the attractions it encompasses. From the skiing experience at AvalancheXpress and fishing activities at Lake Redman to the hiking and trails at our prominent parks like Fairmount, William Kain, and Spring Valley County Park. It doesn’t matter if the weather is warm and wet in the summer or cold and cloudy in the winter — there’s always something to do in the area.
Our trees, in particular, really give life to our wildlife, oxygen to our bodies, and bring natural beauty to our parks, streets, homes, and other Red Lion landscapes. To ensure those trees are as acclimated to the Red Lion climate as us, it is important to only plant native trees that have the endurance to survive cold winters and wet summers. Some options include Eastern Redbud, White Fringetree, Dogwood, Sugar Maple, White Oak, and the Pennsylvania state tree — Eastern Hemlock. For more options, you could check the Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program’s Identifying Pennsylvania Trees document.
In the meantime, you should also get familiar with common tree issues in the area to keep our native trees safe and protected. In Red Lion, this includes the following problems, but if you’re interested in learning about more tree issues, you could also look into PA’s Department of Conservation & Natural Resources’ Forest Insects and Diseases section.
Armillaria Root Rot
Armillaria root rot is a fungal disease that doesn’t currently have a cure, so infected species are likely to die and need to be removed from the premises. Its most susceptible species are oaks, avocados, and all fruit trees. However, resistant trees include Chinese Elm, Holly, Hackberry, Dawn Redwood, Maple, Sweetgum, Bald Cypress, and more.
While the symptoms of this fungal disease vary depending on the species being infected, many cases report weakened and discolored roots, brown and yellow foliage, stunted leaf growth, twig and branch diebacks, a collection of mushrooms at the base of the trunk, cankers with sap oozing, and premature falling.
It’s important to note the damage that can be done by Armillaria Root Rot and how easily it can be spread. For this reason, you should always be careful to remove not only the dead, infected tree but its trunk and as many of the roots as possible to protect your remaining landscape.
Hungry Pests in Pennsylvania
Pest infestations can become extremely problematic for our landscapes, especially since they are likely to spread some of the most contagious and fatal diseases to trees that are now more vulnerable due to the insects feeding and burrowing into them.
Signs to look out for to detect the problem early and treat it with an appropriate insecticide include insect sightings, loss of needles or a premature leaf falling, distorted foliage, yellowing, spotting, a decline in health and growth, and diebacks.
Residents should be warned that there are pests called European Gypsy Moths in the area that are currently under federal quarantine for the insurmountable damage they can do to our landscapes. Additional pests to keep an eye out for are the Asian Gypsy Moth, Asian Longhorned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer Beetle, European Cherry Fruit Fly, European Grapevine Moth, Khapra Beetle, Light Brown Apple Moth, and the Spotted Lanternfly.
Does the City of Red Lion Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
The City of Red Lion does not offer any tree removal assistance to private property owners. This is because it is your property and the service can be done by a licensed professional like Tree Triage. Trees on public property are another story.
It is important to remember, however, that a permit is required by the City of Red Lion if any resident intends to plant or remove trees on streets, right-of-ways, or any other public property landscapes. “All persons shall first obtain a written permit from the Borough before doing or having done any work for the care, pruning, or trimming of any tree in or upon the public streets, highways, avenues, or lanes”. It also says the job must be done within 3 months of obtaining the permit.
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Red Lion?
Tree responsibility in Red Lion depends on the parties involved, the tree’s original location, where it fell, the health of the tree, and other factors. For this reason, we have gathered some common scenarios in the following sections to help you determine who is responsible for fallen trees in Red Lion.
If you’re a homeowner?
As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to remove any tree that originated on your property and fell on your property. A scenario where this may be modified is if the tree in question was healthy and fell on multiple properties. In this case, you would be responsible for the portion up to your property line, and other homeowners would be responsible for the portion up to theirs. This includes the City if your tree falls onto the public property as well.
If you’re a renter?
Great news for renters! It is not your responsibility to remove any trees from the property you are renting on. This is because you are not the sole owner, and therefore, do not have any say-so or responsibility with projects that deal with the health and state of being of landscapes and home structures on the property — only small maintenance responsibilities.
We suggest that you do discuss any problems or concerns with trees as soon as possible with your landlord since you will likely notice something’s wrong first.
If you’re a landlord?
Being a landlord grants you much of the same responsibilities as a homeowner, but more. Not only are you responsible for removing any fallen trees that originated on your land and fell on your land, but you are also responsible for the health and safety of the tenants renting the homes on your properties. For this reason, it would be wise to keep up with regular tree care and maintenance to ensure trees don’t make it a habit of falling on your property. If they do fall, you are responsible for contacting us to remove them.
If you’re a neighbor?
As a neighbor, a tree falling on your property from your neighbor’s property is only your responsibility if the tree was healthy and knocked over by some sort of natural cause. However, if the tree already had signs of being dead or dying before falling onto your property, it is your neighbor’s responsibility to pay for its removal and any damages or injuries that may have occurred.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Red Lion?
The soil in Red Lion plays a substantial role in the health, growth, and livelihood of the trees planted into it. This is because our trees depend on our soil to have the water and nutrients they need, so they can absorb it through their roots and stay strong and healthy.
The soil series here in Red Lion is called Hazleton, the official state soil of Pennsylvania. Soil Series describes it as being ” deep and very deep, well-drained soils formed in a residuum of acid gray, brown, or red sandstone on uplands”. Its permeability is considered moderately rapid to rapid, which means there’s less risk of runoff and more access to water and nutrients.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Red Lion?
Weather can affect tree health in Red Lion significantly. In truth, it doesn’t matter how well-suited and accustomed to the Red Lion climate trees in our landscapes are — they could be damaged and killed by nearly any weather extreme that comes their way in the area. This could be in the form of heavy rain that breaks down branches or other natural disasters that have the capability to pull trees out from the ground or saturate them.
According to Pennsylvania’s Department of Health, your trees are most susceptible to natural disasters like freezing weather, winter storms, earthquakes and landslides, fires, floods, extreme heat, hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornadoes.
What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Red Lion?
If you notice that a dead tree is near a power line in Red Lion, you are required to contact your electrical company immediately. You are not advised to prune, trim, remove, or otherwise touch the tree near a power line because it can not only cause a major outage in the area but can also be hazardous to your safety and health.
When you notice a tree is at risk of impacting a power line, electric utility companies to contact in Red Lion are Met-Ed, Adams Electric Cooperative, Inc., PPL Electric Utilities, and Shipley Energy. In the meantime, you should also freshen up on power line safety tips provided by Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Red Lion?
In Red Lion, you can expect to pay about $650 for a standard tree removal service, with residents reporting they paid somewhere between $190 and $1,950 for their service. Remember, however, that your number could still be substantially different, especially due to the following cost factors that can make that happen.
The Height of Your Tree
One of the first things you should think about when determining how much your service will cost is the height of your tree. This is because a much taller tree than the standard 30 feet will be a much more difficult job than one that is much lower than 30 feet — making it a more expensive one. In these cases, taller trees aren’t just more difficult but also take more of our crew members, time, and equipment to finish.
It should also be noted that the same goes for a still-standing tree versus one that has already fallen over. Due to the job being mostly complete, a tree that has fallen will likely save you as much as half the price of a still-standing tree you need to be removed.
Additional Services
Additional services are another added cost that varies from customer to customer because not ALL residents need them or the same ones. For instance, you may be interested in a tree protection spray or injections if you’re afraid that the surrounding trees will be infected with what took your tree down. In contrast, a customer who lost their tree to something more natural like a storm wouldn’t necessarily need it as much as you.
Hourly Rate
Our hourly rates line up with the national average, but your total for labor costs can fluctuate depending on how challenging the removal job is. If your tree is near power lines, your home, a shed, or other personal property, it will take our crew longer to clear it safely.