As the seasons begin to change, homeowners naturally begin preparing their properties for winter.
Gardens are cleaned up, leaves are raked, firewood is stacked, and outdoor projects are wrapped up before the first snowfall.
One of the most valuable features on your property is often overlooked.
Your trees.
There are conversations we never enjoy having. Standing beside a homeowner after a storm or following the season’s first heavy snowfall and hearing them quietly say,
“We never thought it would happen.”
…is one of them.
It’s an understandable reaction.
Most trees don’t look dangerous. They still have full canopies, healthy-looking branches, and appear perfectly normal from a distance. When a large branch suddenly fails or an entire tree comes down, it’s easy to believe the storm—or the weight of heavy snow—was simply too much.
But after years of assessing trees throughout Oxford County and the surrounding communities, we’ve learned something important.
Storms and heavy snow rarely create tree problems. More often, they reveal weaknesses that were already there.
Hidden decay. Weak branch attachments. Root damage. Structural defects.
These issues often develop slowly over many years, long before a tree begins showing obvious signs of decline.
The challenge isn’t whether those warning signs exist—it’s knowing how to recognize them.
That’s why fall is one of the most valuable times of year to assess your trees. As leaves begin to fall, the structure of a tree becomes easier to see, making subtle changes far more noticeable before winter snow, ice, and strong winds place additional stress on branches and trunks.
Looking Beyond the Leaves
One of the most common questions we’re asked is, “Does my tree look healthy?”
It’s a simple question, but the answer isn’t always straightforward.
A full, healthy canopy is certainly encouraging, but it tells only part of the story. One of the biggest misconceptions we see is that a tree with green leaves and strong growth must also be structurally sound. While that can be true, it’s not always the case.
As ISA Certified Arborists, we look far beyond the leaves. We evaluate the tree’s overall structure, the strength of major branch attachments, the condition of the trunk, root flare, signs of decay, previous pruning wounds, and how the tree has responded to stress over time.
No single observation tells us whether a tree is healthy.
Instead, we look at how the entire tree works together. The canopy, trunk, roots, surrounding environment, and even the tree’s history all provide valuable clues that help us understand its overall condition.
The Problems You Can’t See
One of the biggest surprises for homeowners is learning that some of the most important parts of a tree are hidden underground.
The roots responsible for absorbing water and nutrients lie surprisingly close to the soil’s surface, making them especially vulnerable during landscaping projects, excavation, driveway installations, and other construction around the home. Because this damage occurs below ground, it often goes unnoticed until the tree begins showing signs of stress months—or even years—later.
We’ve assessed many trees where the trunk appeared perfectly healthy, yet root damage from work completed years earlier had already begun affecting the tree’s long-term health. By the time the canopy starts to decline, the original cause can be difficult to recognize.
We’re also frequently asked whether mushrooms growing around the base of a tree are cause for concern.
The answer is that it depends.
While fungi don’t automatically mean a tree is unsafe, they can sometimes indicate decay within the root system or lower trunk. Like many signs of tree stress, they’re just one piece of the puzzle—not the whole picture. Understanding what they mean requires assessing the tree as a whole, because a single symptom rarely tells the complete story.
Did You Know?
• A mature tree can weigh 20,000 to 40,000 pounds—sometimes even more.
• Snow and ice can add hundreds of pounds of additional weight to large branches.
• Many hazardous trees show warning signs months—or even years—before they fail.
Our Goal Isn’t to Remove Trees
One of the biggest misconceptions about our profession is that arborists spend most of their time recommending tree removals.
In reality, preserving healthy trees is almost always our first priority.
Every tree is different, which means every recommendation should be too. Sometimes a tree benefits from strategic pruning to improve its structure, reduce future risk, or encourage healthy growth. Other times, the best approach is simply to monitor the tree over time and reassess as it continues to mature.
And occasionally, the best news we can give a homeowner is simply:
“Your tree is healthy.”
Those are some of the most rewarding conversations we have.
Healthy, mature trees are one of the most valuable features of any property. They provide shade on hot summer days, improve property value, support local wildlife, and add beauty and character that can take decades to replace. Whenever it’s safe and practical to do so, our goal is to help homeowners preserve those trees for future generations.
Before Winter Arrives:
Before you finish preparing your property for winter, take one last walk around your yard.
Take a moment to really look at your trees.
Notice what’s changed since last year. Look a little higher into the canopy. Pay attention to branches that may have grown closer to your home or areas that simply don’t look the way they once did.
You don’t need to diagnose a problem.
You simply need to recognize when something has changed.
Many tree issues can be addressed long before they become safety concerns or require emergency work. That’s why taking a closer look each fall is one of the simplest—and most valuable—things a homeowner can do.
As ISA Certified Arborists, we believe our job is about more than pruning and removals. It’s about helping homeowners understand their trees so they can make informed decisions with confidence. Whether that means preserving a mature tree, recommending preventative pruning, or identifying a concern before it becomes a problem, our goal is always the same: protecting the long-term health of your trees while helping keep your property safe.
Because the best tree care doesn’t begin after something goes wrong.
It begins with understanding your trees before it does.
About the Expert Contributor
The ISA Certified Arborists at Elevation Tree Service proudly serve Oxford County and the surrounding communities with professional tree care rooted in safety, education, and respect for the environment. As members of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), our team provides professional tree assessments, pruning, preservation, and safe removals while helping homeowners make informed decisions that protect the health, safety, and longevity of their trees.
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