Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Sacramento?
- 2 Does the City of Sacramento Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Sacramento?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Sacramento?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Sacramento?
- 6 What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Sacramento?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Sacramento?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Sacramento?
California was nearly universally portrayed as the promised land in American television and movies for decades. It was the land of movie stars and technology geniuses. Those types of people still live there, but the image of the Golden States has been altered in more recent times. Excessive levels of pollution and some of the devastating effects of rising temperatures changed how California is viewed. Reports of California forest fires and other calamities have become an increasingly frequent occurrence, and this certainly includes the city of Sacramento.
The combination of higher than usual temperatures and ever-increasing pollution levels has caused many trees in Sacramento to experience diseases and issues that cause them to decay and die. Three diseases unique to trees have emerged with alarming frequency in Sacramento.
Anthracnose
This disease that impacts trees comes from a type of fungus found on many trees. The fungus loves to live in a warm and moist environment. Sacramento experiences plenty of rain as a result of being so close to the ocean. The fungus quickly multiples all over the tree, and inevitably takes it down.
Fire Blight
This disease is not as common as many other types of tree disease, but fire blight impacts certain types of trees within Sacramento and is known to be very contagious. It is such a known issue in California that the University of California has put out guidelines on how to manage fire blight:
Fire blight development is influenced primarily by seasonal weather. When temperatures of 75° to 85°F are accompanied by intermittent rain or hail, conditions are ideal for disease development. The succulent tissue of rapidly growing trees is especially vulnerable; thus, excess nitrogen fertilization and heavy pruning, which promote such growth, should be avoided. Trees shouldn’t be irrigated during bloom. Monitor trees regularly and remove and destroy fire blight infections. (See Removing Diseased Wood.) If fire blight has been a problem in the past, apply blossom sprays. Sprays prevent new diseases but won’t eliminate wood infections; pruning the infected wood would. When weather conditions are very conducive to fire blight development, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to control the disease.
As you can see, even the University of California, with all of its highly educated and qualified experts in this field, doesn’t have a great answer for what to do when fire blight takes hold.
Fusarium Wilt
Food crops are the most impacted by Fusarium Wilt, though it is also known to do major damage to California palm trees. It is another fungus-based disease and is virtually impossible to eradicate. This disease can survive in the soil without a host to take anything from at all. It can remain in the soil forever until there are new trees planted and then attack those as well.
Does the City of Sacramento Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
There are a myriad of regulations regarding when and if the city of Sacramento will get involved with the removal of any tree. Generally speaking, the city of Sacramento will only get involved in the removal of a tree if it is a tree in a public space and if it poses a direct threat to public safety. If the tree does not meet both of those qualifications, then the city is unlikely to get involved.
The removal of trees on private property is nearly always the responsibility of the property owner to remove. The City of Sacramento clarifies that a permit is required to remove certain trees that fall under a protected status. The list of protected trees can be found under the Sacramento city code.
The most common scenario is that an individual is interested in removing a tree from their private property and hiring a professional company such as Tree Triage.
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Sacramento?
Given all the tree diseases that plague Sacramento trees, it is fairly commonplace for a tree to succumb to one of these diseases and fall over. This naturally begs the question, who is responsible for a fallen tree in a variety of scenarios.
If you’re a homeowner?
Property owners are nearly always responsible for a fallen tree that was growing on their private property. They are welcome to hire a private company like Tree Triage to get this done (and that is what they should do), but they need to ensure we’re called promptly. A fallen tree left unremoved for an unreasonable period may cause legal complications for the homeowner.
If you’re a renter?
Renters avoid responsibility for a fallen tree on the property they rent unless they took direct actions to cause the tree to fall. The renter would still not be responsible for taking care of a tree that they purposely caused to fall, but their landlord would likely evict them for having caused this problem.
If you’re a landlord?
Landlords bear the brunt of the responsibility of tree removal in the city of Sacramento. The only way a landlord could get out of this responsibility would be if the tree could be proven to be on public property rather than their private land. Additionally, if the tree posed an immediate public danger, then the city might step in to remove it, but the city would invoice the landlord for this service.
If you’re a neighbor?
Neighbors are not going to be responsible for removing the tree, but if this remains unresolved, they may feel like they have to step in to immediately take care of the problem. They do not have to do this at all, and this could breed resentment in the neighborhood.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Sacramento?
Sacramento has some poor quality soil, according to official reports from the USDA. They state that the soil is very deep and drains very poorly. It tends to collect the above-average rainfall that pours down on Sacramento even more than a typical soil would. This is yet another scary piece of news for the trees in the area. Yes, the trees are well watered, but the soil may prove to be rather loose and poorly suited to keep a tree firmly in place.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Sacramento?
The increasingly warm weather that has gripped Sacramento and the entire state of California makes for dangerous conditions for trees to grow. Heavy rainfall also poses a threat both to the quality of the soil that the tree grows in and the tree itself directly. Temperatures tend to stay high enough to avoid any significant snowfall in Sacramento at any time, but that doesn’t mean that these other factors don’t weigh heavily on the trees in Sacramento.
What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Sacramento?
A dead tree near a power line poses a grave danger of falling over into those power lines. Should that happen, it could cause extensive damage to the local power grid and also pose a threat to anyone who happens to be near those power lines or that tree. The city of Sacramento takes dead trees near power lines very seriously. It is a circumstance by which the city may step up to take care of the dead trees.
Dead trees near power lines that are still on private property may incur a fee from the city for the removal. Private property owners are not entirely off the hook because the trees are a danger to the public. Likely, the city would first send a request to the property owner to get these trees taken care of before the city went about removing them. Hiring a service such as Tree Triage to remove a tree is more cost-effective for a private property owner than being charged by the city for its removal. Remember, if the city has to do the removal, there is no control over whom the city calls to do the job or what they charge.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Sacramento?
Private Removal or City Removal
The first cost factor for tree removals in Sacramento is who is doing the removal. Should the city step in because the property owner has not stepped up to remove the tree? That could prove to be a lot more costly than simply hiring a private company right off the bat. Some cities have had to go so far as to contract out the removal of literally thousands of dead trees in some areas. In that case, most of the trees were on public lands, and thus no private party was responsible, but it is still something worth considering when determining the cost factors related to tree removal.
Condition of the Tree
A dead or nearly dead tree is a lot easier to remove in most cases than one that is still vibrant and alive. Sometimes, to change the look of a property, trees that are still living are removed. However, this may require more extensive equipment and could add to the cost of the removal. A dead tree is a simpler fix.
Danger to the Public
Does the dying tree pose an immediate danger to the public? If so, this could be a more costly tree removal project. The tree needs to be removed more quickly in this scenario, and jumping to the front of the line costs additional money. A tree that is not going to impact anyone else can be done at a lower price.
