When preparing for hurricanes, don’t forget tree maintenance

Courtesy Of Orange County

Throughout hurricane season, Orange County advises homeowners to keep their trees trimmed and healthy. If maintained properly, healthy, mature trees can help shield your home during a storm. Keeping them professionally pruned will allow hurricane-force winds to pass through them, and this will lessen the chances they blow over.

“There’s a lot to remember when it comes to hurricane preparedness, but making sure your trees are trimmed and healthy going into hurricane season is critical,” said Regina Ramos, project manager at Orange County Community, Environmental and Development Services. “Unhealthy and damaged trees can be the cause of major damage to your home during a hurricane due to flying debris, so it’s important to have a healthy yard going into a major storm.”

Professional pruning should be done every few years by a certified, insured arborist. Look for an arborist who provides written quotes before agreeing to have any work done. It is important to have your tree-care specialist evaluate branch patterns that may be susceptible to wind damage. Dead wood, especially, can damage your home during high winds substantially.

Sometimes, an arborist may recommend removing large, unhealthy and damaged trees that are close to your home to avoid potential hurricane damage. If unhealthy or damaged trees are removed, always ask

Find An Arborist

To find an ISA-certified arborist in your area who does provide these services, visit Treesaregood.org.

the arborist to recommend a replacement tree you can plant. As should always be the case when having any work done in or around your house, make sure permits have been properly prepared before you agree to have trees removed or have other substantial hurricane preparation work completed.

Please note that Orange County Government does not provide tree trimming and arborist services to residents on private property.

LEARN MORE

To learn more about the kits — and even order one — visit the Girl Scout Troop 2059 website, gstroop2059.org/hurricane.

The troop created the kits to earn the Bronze Award, the highest award a Junior Girl Scout can earn. Scouts researched hurricanes, worked with a subject matter expert — News Channel 6 meteorologist Samara Cokinos — and created worksheets for their kit that inform as well as entertain.

From there, they brainstormed what items should be included in the kits and then secured donations from local businesses. They received enough supplies to make

50 kits with items for safety, comfort and entertainment. Items include soft comfort items, flashlights, food items, folders for the worksheets, crayons, pens and hand sanitizers. Girl Scout Troop 2059 also has earned a Super Troop designation from DrWin Girl Scouts for the fourth consecutive year. A Super Troop shows commitment to the Girl Scout Law via community service, badge work, participation in Council and Service Unit activities, and more.