Vent: My boss argued for topping oaks and I still disagree

Had a talk with my boss last week after a job in Austin. He said topping a mature oak was fine for clearance near power lines. I told him it stresses the tree and leads to decay later. He said clients don't care about 10 years from now, they want it cheap today. Has anyone else had to push back on this at work?

3 comments

3 Comments

michael_coleman109d ago

Laugh about it now, but I bet @jana_hart18 has a point about that ordinance. I remember the first time I told my boss topping was bad for oaks, he looked at me like I was speaking a different language. Guess who ended up getting a call from the city after a topped limb fell on a neighbor's car? That was a fun conversation to have with my boss. The worst part is I had to be the one holding the climbing gear, wondering if my next pay check would cover damages.

young.nora9d ago

Ngl @michael_coleman10 that story hits close to home. My neighbor hired some hack crew to top his pecan tree a few years back, and I tried warning him it would send up weak suckers. Sure enough, a massive branch came down during a storm and crushed part of his fence. He was out there fuming while the "arborist" had already pocketed the cash and ghosted him. Tbh people act like tree care is optional until their insurance rates go up.

jana_hart189d ago

Austin has a tree ordinance for a reason. That call could cost the company fines or liability if a topped limb fails later.