Never one to run from a handy equation, I have brought back an old favorite PET ! No, I’m not bringing the old dog back from the farm, PET is in the equation.
As we had discussed previously, trees can contain potentially hazardous conditions that can cause them to fail with out warning. Recent snow storms and strong winds may have left a few trees a little worse off. More often than not damage to people and property can be avoided by paying attention to your PET. Here is the solution to all this lively repartee. PET is a clever way to calculate the danger to persons and property by trees in our landscape.
“P” refers to the potential for failure in a tree. Conditions that may increase the potential for failure may include; poorly attached branches, co-dominant stems with included bark. These three conditions are often to blame for storm-related tree failures. You may even hear creaking, snapping, or popping. After a failure, torn branches may reveal internal decay and hidden cavities. Trees that topple often have poor root structure or poor soil conditions that predispose them to this catastrophic failure. Toppled trees and shrubs rarely root if they are successfully righted. When failures occur, little can be done to repair the damage.
“E”. The next part of the equation is environment. You only need to stick your head out of the door on a stormy night to see environment in action. Wind, rain, heavy snow and ice all create environments that increase the chance of failure. What we may not think of is the fact that construction, changes in grade, or drainage problems can also create environments with increased risk. Trees fall in the forest every day! What kind of a ridiculous equation is this? Trees do fall in the forest and many times they cause little damage because there are no high value targets to damage. This brings us to “T”.
“T”. The missing factor is a target. You’re new truck is a target, as is your rustic outhouse. All targets are not created equally. Parking your truck under a tree with the potential to fail in an environment conducive to failure creates a risk. Parking yourself in the outhouse under a similar branch in a storm creates an even greater risk. The amount of time you spend in your parked truck is probably less. Therefore the risk to your person is greater while in the reading room.
To summarize the equation: P x E x T = RISK. If one of the factors in the equation is
eliminated or even reduced the risk is greatly reduced. There is no magic bullet or miracle cure that can eliminate all risk. Careful hazard and risk evaluation by an ISA Certified Arborist can suggest ways to limit or eliminate future problems. Have a look above your new truck or whatever target you may value. Don’t wait until you hear PET noises!
Never one to run from a handy equation, I have brought back an old favorite PET !
No, I’m not bringing the old dog back from the farm, PET is in the equation.
As we had discussed previously, trees can contain potentially hazardous conditions that can cause them to fail with out warning. Recent snow storms and strong winds may have left a few trees a little worse off. More often than not damage to people and property can be avoided by paying attention to your PET. Here is the solution to all this lively repartee. PET is a clever way to calculate the danger to persons and property by trees in our landscape.
“P” refers to the potential for failure in a tree. Conditions that may increase the potential for failure may include; poorly attached branches, co-dominant stems with included bark. These three conditions are often to blame for storm-related tree failures. You may even hear creaking, snapping, or popping. After a failure, torn branches may reveal internal decay and hidden cavities. Trees that topple often have poor root structure or poor soil conditions that predispose them to this catastrophic failure. Toppled trees and shrubs rarely root if they are successfully righted. When failures occur, little can be done to repair the damage.
“E”. The next part of the equation is environment. You only need to stick your head out of the door on a stormy night to see environment in action. Wind, rain, heavy snow and ice all create environments that increase the chance of failure. What we may not think of is the fact that construction, changes in grade, or drainage problems can also create environments with increased risk. Trees fall in the forest every day! What kind of a ridiculous equation is this? Trees do fall in the forest and many times they cause little damage because there are no high value targets to damage. This brings us to “T”.
“T”. The missing factor is a target. You’re new truck is a target, as is your rustic outhouse. All targets are not created equally. Parking your truck under a tree with the potential to fail in an environment conducive to failure creates a risk. Parking yourself in the outhouse under a similar branch in a storm creates an even greater risk. The amount of time you spend in your parked truck is probably less. Therefore the risk to your person is greater while in the reading room.
To summarize the equation: P x E x T = RISK. If one of the factors in the equation is
eliminated or even reduced the risk is greatly reduced. There is no magic bullet or miracle cure that can eliminate all risk. Careful hazard and risk evaluation by an ISA Certified Arborist can suggest ways to limit or eliminate future problems. Have a look above your new truck or whatever target you may value. Don’t wait until you hear PET noises!
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