The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

Dodgy tree loppers are scamming elderly homeowners and hacking up healthy trees. Here's what you need to know

  • Written by Gregory Moore, Doctor of Botany, The University of Melbourne

Have you had a knock on the door or perhaps a card in your letterbox telling you the trees in your garden are dangerous and need urgent work? Maybe you’ve been a bit worried about the trees, which seem to be getting bigger each year, and think: “Well, it can’t do any harm […] can it?”.

Unfortunately, deciding to take action might cause harm to the trees or significant financial loss to you.

There are some serious scams[1] in several states involving knock-on-the-door tree loppers who pressure elderly home owners for work. This has led to petitions from victims[2] and some local governments seeking to have tree loppers licensed. Some of these cases[3] involve thousands of dollars and very poor quality work with potentially dangerous outcomes.

As a tree scientist who works with urban trees, I can assure you some large, old trees are well worth leaving alone, even you find them annoying sometimes. So if you are going to prune trees in your garden, especially healthy old trees, make sure you do it well.

Hiring a good arborist

Trees are large and sophisticated organisms, and people who work on them need to be qualified so they know how trees will respond to their actions. Otherwise, there’s a risk that work done on trees could actually make its structure unsound and unsafe.

There are many well-trained arborists[4] in most Australian states who can work on your trees.

But how do you judge the good from the bad? Here are a few tips on what to look for in employing a good arborist.

First, a good arborist will have TAFE or university qualifications in arboriculture (at least a certificate Level 4), and substantial public liability insurance cover (at least A$10 million and most will have a A$20 million policy). Be sure to check your home insurance policy as tree work may not be covered, and if something goes seriously wrong it can be very costly.

Read more: An act of God, or just bad management? Why trees fall and how to prevent it[5]

Second, trained arborists won’t work on large trees or off the ground on their own. There will always be a crew of at least two, regardless of whether they’re using travel towers or ropes and harnesses to access a tree. They’ll also explain exactly what they propose doing to your tree and why.

And finally, most good arborists won’t describe themselves as tree loppers and will prune[6] rather than lop your trees. Pruning is a targeted approach to tree management, while lopping is a wholesale removal of branches and foliage that can lead to problems in the months and years ahead.

Two geared-up arborists look at a tree Good arborists will never work alone. Shutterstock

So where can things go wrong? It’s not uncommon for elderly people to become worried about big, old trees that are perfectly safe, then have them removed and then find their property value has significantly declined at a time when they need assets most.

The unnecessary removal of a large old tree destroys an asset[7] that has taken years of care. Its removal may seriously reduce your property value by up to 5% or $10,000 if the tree is a significant component of your garden.

When you feel ‘treegret’

Indiscriminately lopping a tree’s canopy — which can leave little or no foliage and greatly reduces branching — may seem like a good way to eliminate the risk of shedding leaves, fruits and dropping limbs.

New green shoots on bare branches Epicornic shoots are often seen as trees recover from bushfires, but they also appear after indiscriminate tree lopping. Shutterstock

But if it’s done to a healthy tree[8] with a sound structure, you can create the very problem you were seeking to avoid: greater shedding and the development of a dangerous canopy.

This is because after severe lopping, many trees respond by producing lots of new shoots, called epicormic shoots. You may have seen these growing after fires. Epicormic shoots can be weakly attached to the trunk or larger branches of the tree in their early years and, if they’re not managed properly, the heavier shoots can shed substantially[9].

In any case, is the tree really so bad?

Many people are very aware of the things that annoy them about their trees — dropping leaves, flowers and fruits, blocked gutters and even cracked fences and paths.

They often forget or are unaware of the benefits these same trees provide. This includes[10] shade in summer, moderating strong winds, which protects their roofs during storms or the value of tree roots systems in stabilising soil on steep house blocks.

You may only become aware of the value of these services after the tree has been removed – you acted in haste, but may regret the loss over the many years it takes to grow a replacement tree. This is treegret!

Dodgy tree loppers are scamming elderly homeowners and hacking up healthy trees. Here's what you need to know It’ll take years — sometimes decades — to replace a tree you chopped down in haste. Shutterstock

Ask the right questions

You can be doing the right thing when you decide to get work done that improves the appearance, structure or heath of a valuable old tree in you garden.

A branch may be growing too close to your home, a low branch may block access for vehicles or pedestrians, or you may have dead or diseased limbs posing a risk to the tree and a hazard to people.

Read more: Here are 5 practical ways trees can help us survive climate change[11]

But next time there’s a knock at your door and you have the chance to greet a tree lopper, don’t forget to ask them if they’re qualified. Ask how large their public liability insurance policy and what size crew will be working on your job.

And then ask them exactly what they propose to do to your tree.

I have asked all of these questions and been told of qualifications I know don’t exist, come from institutions that don’t train arborists, and of plans to lop or top my trees that I know will leave them less safe.

References

  1. ^ serious scams (www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au)
  2. ^ petitions from victims (www.change.org)
  3. ^ Some of these cases (www.commerce.wa.gov.au)
  4. ^ well-trained arborists (arboriculture.org.au)
  5. ^ An act of God, or just bad management? Why trees fall and how to prevent it (theconversation.com)
  6. ^ will prune (arboriculture.org.au)
  7. ^ destroys an asset (treenet.org)
  8. ^ healthy tree (arboriculture.org.au)
  9. ^ shed substantially (colloque.inrae.fr)
  10. ^ This includes (theconversation.com)
  11. ^ Here are 5 practical ways trees can help us survive climate change (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/dodgy-tree-loppers-are-scamming-elderly-homeowners-and-hacking-up-healthy-trees-heres-what-you-need-to-know-164629

Times Magazine

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an online presence that reflects your brand, engages your audience, and drives results. For local businesses in the Blue Mountains, a well-designed website a...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beauty On Saturday, September 6th, history will be made as the International Polo Tour (IPT), a sports leader headquartered here in South Florida...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data analytics processes. The sheer volume and complexity of data can be overwhelming, often leading to bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Enter the innovative da...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right choice keeps your team productive, your data safe, and your budget predictable. The wrong choice shows up as slow tickets, surprise bills, and risky sh...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in the Sutherland Shire who may not have the financial means to pay for private legal assistance, legal aid ensures that everyone has access to representa...

Watercolor vs. Oil vs. Digital: Which Medium Fits Your Pet's Personality?

When it comes to immortalizing your pet’s unique personality in art, choosing the right medium is essential. Each artistic medium, whether watercolor, oil, or digital, has distinct qualities that can bring out the spirit of your furry friend in dif...

The Times Features

NSW has a new fashion sector strategy – but a sustainable industry needs a federally legislated response

The New South Wales government recently announced the launch of the NSW Fashion Sector Strategy, 2025–28[1]. The strategy, developed in partnership with the Australian Fashion ...

From Garden to Gift: Why Roses Make the Perfect Present

Think back to the last time you gave or received flowers. Chances are, roses were part of the bunch, or maybe they were the whole bunch.   Roses tend to leave an impression. Even ...

Do I have insomnia? 5 reasons why you might not

Even a single night of sleep trouble can feel distressing and lonely. You toss and turn, stare at the ceiling, and wonder how you’ll cope tomorrow. No wonder many people star...

Wedding Photography Trends You Need to Know (Before You Regret Your Album)

Your wedding album should be a timeless keepsake, not something you cringe at years later. Trends may come and go, but choosing the right wedding photography approach ensures your ...

Can you say no to your doctor using an AI scribe?

Doctors’ offices were once private. But increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) scribes (also known as digital scribes) are listening in. These tools can record and trans...

There’s a new vaccine for pneumococcal disease in Australia. Here’s what to know

The Australian government announced last week there’s a new vaccine[1] for pneumococcal disease on the National Immunisation Program for all children. This vaccine replaces pr...