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Trees
We Floridians love our trees. From the live oaks in the Panhandle to the royal
palms of South Florida, our trees provide us with shade, fruit, and beauty.
We also like reliable electric and telephone service, but sometimes our beloved
trees may interfere with the lines that provide us with the utility services
that are so necessary to modern life. Maintaining the balance between healthy,
attractive trees and reliable utility service is the cooperative duty of both the
property owner and the utility company.
Property Owner's Responsibilities
Proper tree selection is the first step in ensuring that conflicts between
vegetation and utility lines are minimized. Do some research before you plant a tree.
Find out how tall the tree will be when it matures and how widespread its branches will be.
Be sure that the tree will not grow into the lines and require pruning that may
compromise the health or beauty of the tree.
A good place to start your research is at the Web site of the
International Society of Arboriculture
which has a brochure entitled
Avoiding Tree & Utility Conflicts you can download. The
National Arbor Day Foundation also has information on its Web site about
planting the right tree in the right place.
Utility Company's Responsibilities
One of the ways that utility companies attempt to provide safe, reliable service
is by trimming vegetation that has grown, or is about to grow, into its lines. It is the company's responsibility to establish a
vegetation control program that ensures safe, reliable service.
Most utilities have adopted pruning techniques developed by the
Tree Care Industry Association
and approved by the
American National Standards Institute
(ANSI). These techniques focus on removing intruding branches at the point where
the branch would be naturally shed.
The Time To Act Is Now
Don't wait for hurricane season to take stock of your trees. Start now, before
the storms of summer come.