CAI-NJ Feb.2020(w)

TREE CARE AND MAINTENANCE

in the Managed Community Setting

By Matt Walters, ISA Certified Arborist

and NJ Licensed Tree Expert, Bartlett Tree Experts in NY/NJ

Tatomm/iStock/Getty Images Plus

W hen boards speak about their property man- agement professional, they typically have very high expectations as to their accessi- bility, efficiency, and professionalism. Property manage- ment professionals are expected to be masters of many tasks, and experts in all things from air conditioning to yoga classes. Not particularly fair, but nonetheless, true in many cases. Tree Care is no different, and can be as formidable a task due to its complex nature and large variety of compa- nies willing to perform “tree work” for varying costs. Additionally, many communities have very different tac- tics when budgeting for costs associated with tree care. Some groups will only spend money on their trees when an “event” has taken place and damage has occurred, while others may prune and treat most of the trees annually

because their “arborist” or tree care provider has advised them that it is the best course of action. In general, neither policy actually constitutes the best approach. The problem is the lack of information being provided to the manager and boards during these service intervals, leaving people in the process guessing as to the next step. Property managers and boards may invest considerable time getting different bids, only to receive wildly different specifications and recommendations as a result. This process can often leave boards feuding as to the next step, making it an awkward and difficult problem to resolve for the manager. In short, the issue can be the lack of information being provided to the decision-makers. This makes spending money on trees difficult, as it’s hard to know if you’re actu- ally making a difference, or making headway in managing the tree population for the community. CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 26

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