News Stories

OAKLAND  -- More storms . . . more toppled and torn-apart trees.  What is a homeowner to do?

For starters, they can pick up a copy of “Recognizing Tree Hazards: A Photographic Guide for Homeowners,” a new publication from the University of
California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR).  This 10-page booklet contains 26 dramatic color photographs of a variety of hazardous and potentially hazardous trees and dozens of tips on how to identify and evaluate tree hazards.

Thousands of trees uproot or break apart during winter storms in California each year, causing extensive property damage, power outages and personal injuries, according to Larry Costello, Environmental Horticulture Advisor with the San Mateo-San Francisco county office of UC Cooperative Extension.

“Last year’s El Niño and this year’s La Niña storms have packed a powerful punch,” says Costello, coauthor of the tree hazards booklet and leader of a statewide program that monitors urban tree failures. “When storms like these are predicted, homeowners may have time to take precautionary steps,” he says.  “Other times, there may be no way to predict or prevent property damage and even personal injury from fallen trees.”

But there are steps homeowners can take year-round to minimize the likelihood of tree damage.  “This guide will help them know what to look for,” he says.

The new publication, intended for people with little or no training in tree biology or tree care, offers a variety of tips, including how to:

• Recognize defects or conditions that commonly lead to tree damage
• Take action if a hazard is found
• Obtain professional advice
• Prevent structural defects from developing in your trees

“Recognizing Tree Hazards: A Photographic Guide for Homeowners” (DANR Publication 21584) is available for $4 from the University of California, DANR
Communication Services  -- Publications at 6701 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94608-1239 and from many county offices of UC Cooperative Extension. To order by phone, call (800) 994-8849.

“Recognizing Tree Hazards” is just one of dozens of DANR publications containing tips on gardening and landscaping, minimizing fire hazards, dealing with garden pests and more. To order a free catalog listing all of these DANR publications, contact DANR Communication Services.

EDITOR’S NOTE: For a free review copy of “Recognizing Tree Hazards,” contact Cynthia Kintigh at (530) 754-5065, cckintigh@ucdavis.edu.   For more details about the publication, editors may contact Costello at (650) 726-9059 or lrcostello@ucdavis.edu or Katherine Jones at kajones@ucdavis.edu.