There are many things to consider when planning for the care of trees and how we will coexist with them.  The decision to install a support system in a tree must be weighted with the pros and cons of installing the support.  In many cases a tree must be saved for any number of reasons.  It may have historic value, monetary value, sentimental value, or functional value.  Once the decision is made to save the tree for whatever reason, it is important to understand that the support system is not a cure.  The tree and the system installed will have to, there after, be inspected, maintained, and modified as necessary.  Even though the percent likelihood of failure has been somewhat mitigated by the support system, there is still no guarantee that the tree and/or it’s parts will not fail even with the support.  Often the introduction of a tree support system is accompanied by other maintenance practices depending on the defect, health of the tree, species of tree, location of the tree, and importance of the tree.  A common practice in conjunction with cabling is to reduce the tree to decrease the weight and loading produced by  wind, snow, and ice.  In sever cases trees are drastically reduced to limit the weight and loading.  This can save a tree but it represents a commitment to a costly yearly maintenance schedule in which the tree is inspected and judiciously pruned every year to maintain an acceptable degree of risk.

Some of the pros and cons of support system installation are.

Pros

1.      Decrease likelihood of failure

2.      Extend longevity of tree

3.      Strengthen structural weaknesses

Cons

1.      Dependence on cable

2.      Annual maintenance

3.      Increased removal cost

4.      Cost of system

5.      Cost of modifications

6.      Change in tree dynamics

Other things to consider

The proper installation of a support system requires experience and knowledge.  If a company trys to sell you a support system with out explaining the pros and cons or that it will require inspections and maintenance.  You should find another company to help you with your tree.

There are many options available today for the support of trees.  The two main options are Static or Dynamic.  The static systems is rigid using traditional cables, bolts, and rods to provide support.  In situations where you have a tree with a split or there is a need to actually support weight, the static systems are the best choice.  The dynamic systems are usually composed of synthetic rope products that incorporate a shock absorbing mechanism to minimise shock loading the tree.  The shock absorbing mechanism allows the tree to move within a given range without coming to a sudden stop which can cause cracks breakage and damage to the tree.  The dynamic systems are a good option if a sever defect is not already present and there is no need for the system to be weight bearing.  Another option is weather to use an invasive or non invasive system.  An invasive system is a system that wounds or injures the tree during installation (drilling holes for bolts braces or cable).  A noninvasive system is installed without injuring the tree (the support is wrapped around the tree no drilling is done).  Determining the best system for a given tree takes knowledge and experience.  Every tree and every situation is different 

Should I cable my tree?

The answer is often not straight forward and depends largely on the answer to several other questions.

1.  What is the reason for the concern?  Is the system needed for safety reasons or is it for poor structure, or tree injury.

2.  What is the potential danger?  Are there buildings, sidewalks, playgrounds or other targets that could to be damaged.  Is it just a limb or half the tree that could fail.  What is the nature of the defect and how sever is it.  Are there other sign of damage or decay is there any other indication of further complications.

3.  What is the health of the tree?  How old is the tree in question?

4.  What is the species of the tree?  The tree species is an important consideration in the decision to save a tree.  Each species has different characteristic, growth rate, growth habit, longevity, resistance to decay, wood strength, flexibility, ect.

5.  What is the reason for saving the tree?

6.  What are the alternatives?  Can the issue be resolved with pruning or removal of dangerous limbs.  Can the target be moved a shed for example or can pedestrian traffic be routed away from the danger.  Will a cable and braces decrease the danger?  Should the tree be removed and replaced?

7.  What are the goals for the tree?  What is the desired length of time the tree is to be kept?  How dose the tree fit in the landscape?

8.  What is the monetary commitment?  Is the goal 10 years, 20 years and how much money is to be allocated to the maintenance of the tree over that period of time in order to maintain an acceptable degree of risk.  This will often dictate the actions taken to preserve or remove the tree.

9.  What type of system will be used. Dynamic or Static?

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