Storm Dylan damage.....

Tree pruning essential to prevent repeat of Storm Darwin damage.

Careful tree pruning is essential if they are to withstand future storms like the one that felled up to 7million trees across Ireland last February, Munster Tree Surgeons have stated.

According to the company, many of the trees that were felled could have survived Storm Darwin if they had been properly pruned in advance but huge numbers of trees that did survive could still be in danger.

And the Co. Limerick company has advised householders and landowners to get their tree check done in plenty of time and not leave it until the late autumn or winter.

“Trees need to be regularly pruned but this is not something we have been good at in Ireland and we weren’t prepared for Storm Darwin when it arrived,” said company director Martin Haugh. 

“We paid the price as a result but so many of the trees that were knocked could have survived the storm had they been properly pruned.  That has cost people dearly, with not alone trees knocked but so much structural damage done to homes and outhouses by falling trees and branches.
“Our family is involved in this business for 40 years and in all that time we have never had more calls than we had in the weeks and months since Storm Darwin. 

What’s of most concern since is the is the level of root disturbance that we found as a result of the storm.  So many trees that are still standing had their roots disturbed and this makes them much more vulnerable so our advice to householders and landowners is to get them checked.”

The company said that with all the indications being that such storms will be more frequent in future, more attention has to be given to tree husbandry.
“Unfortunately, a lot of the trees we have felled since the storm, or fallen trees that we have removed, could have been saved had they been pruned.  Some of them were fabulous old tress that really added to the look of homes but they are now gone. This could have been avoided in many cases.

“But people seemed to have learned the lesson as more than ever are getting their trees checked and dealt with.”