Wind - tree damage warning - please prepare

Even healthy trees unaffected by defects can fail in extreme weather conditions. Trees can be managed but they cannot be controlled and to live near a tree is to accept some degree of risk. Reasonable risk management generally aims to provide trees that can be regarded as stable in a normal / foreseeable regularly experienced storm event in relation to the situation / context of the tree.

Ian Barnes, of Yorkshire-based tree consultants Barnes Associates, explains: "In this region it is reasonable to assume a 'Storm' of force 10 using the Beaufort Scale (55 - 63 miles per hour) of wind speeds on land will occur annually. It should be realised that all trees do pose a risk - even sound trees that would typically be regarded as safe can fail during high winds.

"Typically trees have evolved to fail in part - twigs and branches are sacrificed / fail from a parent tree rather than the tree being lost entirely. Observations at various sites in this country have found that twigs and branches can break from trees at wind speeds of as little as 31 miles per hour, the upper limit of a 'Strong Breeze' as detailed in Beaufort Scale (25 - 31 miles per hour).

"This has led to a recommendation for certain sites with grounds open to the public to be closed when the wind speeds approach 'Near Gale' or Force 7 as detailed by the Beaufort Scale (32-38 miles per hour)."

If you would like to find out more about risk management and trees visit www.barnesassociates.co.uk