Tree Health & Risk Assessment
in Northeast Ohio

The Two Questions Every Caller Asks

"Is it dangerous?" and "Can it be saved?" Those two questions come up on more calls than any price question. Most people don't want a tree removed. They want to know whether they have to, and they want someone who will tell them the truth either way.

That is what this visit is. Wes comes out, looks at the tree, and tells you what he sees. If it can stay, he says so. If it needs work, he explains what and why. If it has to come down, you hear that too, with the reasons.

What Wes Looks At

• Dead wood and dieback in the crown, and how much of the tree is still alive
• Trunk and root condition: cracks, cavities, fungus at the base, soil heaving on one side
• Lean and load: which way the tree would go, and what is under it (house, garage, lines, driveway, the neighbor's yard)
• Weak unions where two leaders meet with bark trapped between them
• Storm damage: hangers, split limbs, and what a few more wind events will do to them
• Disease and pests common in Geauga and Lake County, including oak wilt and emerald ash borer

What You Get

A plain answer, on site, the same day. One of three things:

• Leave it. The tree is healthy, or the problem is cosmetic. No work needed, no charge for the visit.
• Fix it. Pruning, deadwooding, cabling, or taking weight off a limb can make the tree safe. You get a written quote for that work.
• Remove it. The tree is a risk to people or property. You get a written quote and a timeline.

If the honest answer is "leave it," that is what you'll hear. Wes removes a lot of trees. He also talks people out of removing a lot of trees.

Why Ask a Climber

Wes spent 14 years as an electrical lineman before starting All Trees Considered, and he is still the one in the tree on every job. He has looked at thousands of trees from the inside of the canopy, not just the ground. When he climbs to inspect a cavity or a union, you are getting a look that a ground-only assessment can't give you.

Oak Wilt, Ash Borer, and Seasonal Timing

Northeast Ohio oaks should not be pruned during the growing season because of oak wilt, which spreads through fresh cuts. Ash trees across the region have been hit hard by emerald ash borer and often fail without much warning. If you have oaks or ash on your property, the assessment covers timing and what to watch for. Our oak wilt guide goes deeper.