As Storm Doris moves on and leaves in her path a vision of fallen branches, debris covered lawns and dismantled fencing, we were all taken by surprise at the force of the storm and the dangers that came with it!
It proves how important regular and thorough checks on trees can be, over time branches can become dead, diseased and damaged which is caused by decay organisms entering the tree. Branches can also become extremely weak when sunlight is unable to get through a dense canopy, with such an over grown environment branches will cross and rub therefore becoming fragile and likely to break in high winds. Co-dominant branches (2 branches growing straight up at the same rate and become equally dominant) are hugely dangerous in windy conditions as one or both branches can split or tear.
Ivy growing on trees is often thought to be a serious problem, endangering the health of even very large trees however this is not the case. Trees with Ivy present indicates that the tree is already in decline or is diseased and slowly dying, combined with the ivy’s additional weight in the canopy which, in time, could affect stability of the tree, particularly in windy conditions.
The presence of ivy often indicates a tree in ill health. This should be investigated. If you are concerned about an old or diseased tree, always seek advice from a qualified tree inspector or arboriculturist.
Regular observation and maintenance to all trees is vital while dead, damaged and diseased branches should be removed as soon as possible, not only for safety reasons in high winds but for the life of your tree.