Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Dallas?
- 2 Does the City of Dallas Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Dallas?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Dallas?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Dallas?
- 6 What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Dallas?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Dallas?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Dallas?
Dallas is a modern metropolis in North Texas that is a commercial and cultural hub of the region. Yet, even though the hustle and bustle bring tourists from all over the world to the area, this busy city life does not take away from the area’s natural beauty.
Dallas residents love trees and share a strong relationship with them. That is why most homeowners in Dallas prefer to plant their trees in their homes. However, while these trees work great for landscaping purposes, they also require proper maintenance and care to thrive. For these reasons, it is important that Dallas homeowners understand that trees across the nation are prone to pest infestations and diseases, especially in Dallas, where certain diseases are more common in trees found in the area than anywhere else in the country. As a result, property owners in Dallas need to be aware of the following:
The Hypoxylon Canker
The hypoxylon canker is a disease that is fatal to trees and kills them at a rapid rate. The condition is characterized by the branch dieback, where the tree’s uppermost branches resemble the antlers on a stag’s head. These branches often become leafless and die after becoming infected.
Trees that are more susceptible to the hypoxylon canker include the pecan, oak, elm, and sycamore tree. However, this disease is most common during periods of drought because it attacks trees that are already weakened by environmental conditions. This can mean serious issues for property owners in Dallas, where drought conditions are a considerable issue, year after year.
The Oak Wilt
Another common tree disease in Dallas is the Oak Wilt which affects the oak trees in the area. This disease can develop on almost any kind of oak tree, but it tends to attack oaks like the Chinquapin, White, Mexican, and Bur oaks.
The Oak Wilt disease spreads to other trees by beetles and root grafts and can be quickly recognized by the common symptoms of the disease, which include browning of the leaves and the leaves dropping. In many cases, if the issue is not taken care of quickly, the tree will die.
The Fire Blight
Trees in Dallas can also develop the fire blight disease. This disease is a bacterial disease that typically affects fruit trees and causes the blooms and foliage of the tree to blacken at a rapid pace and the shoot tips to bend into a hook-like shape. Additionally, the fire blight disease can also cause the development of cankers on the blackened branches.
Does the City of Dallas Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
The City Arborists in Dallas work in building inspection, a division of the Sustainable Development and Construction Department in Dallas. These Arborists are responsible for enforcing Article X, the Landscape and Tree Preservation Ordinance, as well as reviewing landscape plans, performing landscape inspections, verifying tree surveys, and investigating illegal tree removals. They can also consult with architects and developers on the best ways to preserve trees on construction sites.
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Dallas?
Generally, property owners in Dallas are responsible for maintaining their plants, flowers, and private trees. Yet, determining who is responsible for the costs associated with removing a fallen or dead tree is not always as clear-cut as many people expect it to be and will often depend on the circumstances of the situation. Take, for instance, the following:
If You’re a Homeowner?
In Texas, the property regulations indicate that if a tree falls because of natural causes such as lightning, water, or a storm, the property owner of the place where the tree has fallen is held accountable for removing the tree.
However, it is also important to note that homeowners in Dallas are also required to reasonably care for their trees and prevent them from damaging another person’s property. This means that if a homeowner sees that their tree is showing signs of instability or weakness, they need to make corrections to the tree within a reasonable period of time. Otherwise, if the tree falls and causes damages, the homeowner can be responsible for the costs and losses associated with the tree.
If You’re a Renter?
Usually, a renter and a landlord will agree ahead of time on how to care for the property by spelling out their different responsibilities in a property agreement contract. However, if, for some reason, issues come up that are not mentioned in the agreement, then the landlord will be responsible for making the necessary repairs to the rental property, while the renter will be in charge of cleaning and maintaining their portion of the property.
As a result, if a tree falls onto the property, it is likely that the situation will go beyond the renter’s responsibilities and most likely will be the landlord’s issue to take care of.
If You’re a Landlord?
As discussed above, the landlord is often responsible for a fallen tree unless a property agreement contract indicates otherwise. Consequently, the landlord will be on the hook for the costs associated with removing a fallen tree.
If You’re a Neighbor?
If a tree falls onto a neighbor’s yard because of strong winds, hurricanes, or other natural causes, then the homeowner where the tree originated from will not be responsible for the damages it causes. Typically, the neighbors will have to file a claim with their own property insurance to get reimbursed for the losses.
On the other hand, if the homeowner knew or had reason to know that the tree was hazardous and took no action to take care of the problem. Then if the tree fell onto a neighbor’s property, the homeowner will be responsible for the damages the tree caused and will need to take care of the tree removal costs.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Dallas?
Dallas soils include loamy, sandy, clay, and silty soils:
- Clay soil does not absorb water very well and shrinks and swells according to the moisture content.
- Sandy soil, much like clay soil, has little organic matter and nutrients in it.
- Silty soil is very absorbent and fertile and retains nutrients much better than clay, sand, and loam.
- Loam soil tends to be a mixture of clay, silt, and sandy soils.
That is why if you are considering planting a tree in the Dallas area, you should consider live oak, white oak, pecan, eastern red cedar, hackberry, redbud, crabapple, and crapemyrtle, as these trees can often handle the region’s soil better than other tree varieties.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Dallas?
In Dallas, the summers are hot and muggy, the winters are often windy and cold, and it is partly cloudy almost all year round. That is why the city of Dallas likes to keep tabs on the state of its urban forest. The city has about 14.7 million trees, with arborists in the area encouraging homeowners to plant even more. These trees not only keep the city cooler, resulting in millions of dollars in savings from energy conservation, but the Dallas trees also capture an immense amount of stormwater runoff and keep the air cleaner.
However, because of Dallas’s intense climate, there are certain trees that fare better in the region’s scorching summers and cool winters. These trees include the following:
- Live Oak Trees
- Pecan Trees
- Cedar Elm Trees
- Texas Buckeye Trees
What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Dallas?
Trees in Dallas must be regularly maintained away from the wires in the area. Once the tree encroaches into this space, homeowners will not be able to hire a professional tree removal service directly to perform the pruning. Instead, they will need to contact their electricity provider.
When the homeowner contacts their utility provider, these providers will contact Oncor and their preferred tree pruning contractor, who will perform a “Make Ready Prune.” This means that they will cut all the limbs back to the regulation distance or cut down the entire tree if required. Although Oncor does not charge for this tree service, the contractors may leave all the debris on the property since clearing the debris will be the homeowner’s responsibility.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Dallas?
In Dallas, the cost of removing a tree will depend on various elements, including the equipment needed to remove the tree and the size of the tree that is being removed. However, before you shell out thousands of dollars on a tree removal project, you need to understand the different cost factors that can impact the price of the job. They include the following:
The Tree Size
In Dallas, the size of the tree will be one of the most important factors when determining the overall cost of the tree’s removal. For instance, a small tree that is less than 12 inches in diameter may only cost a few hundred dollars to remove, while a giant tree close to 100 feet will cost the property owner thousands of dollars to take care of.
The Type of Tree
Another essential cost factor that can impact the price of a tree’s removal is the type of tree that is being removed. For instance, in Dallas, oak trees are incredibly prevalent. These trees can grow around 60 feet tall, and depending on the circumstances and complexity of removing these trees, the removal costs can range anywhere from $200 to $800 but may also be higher.
The Health of the Tree
If a tree is dying, dead, or at risk of toppling over, it may require special equipment and certain safety precautions to ensure that injury is prevented when the tree is being removed. As a result, the special care needed to take these trees out may increase the overall cost of the removal process.