Homeowners with damaged trees should rely on qualified experts.

Byline: Scott Maben The Register-Guard

Arborists advised caution Tuesday in dealing with the aftermath of Monday's snowstorm, which damaged many landscape trees in Western Oregon.

Homeowners may be eager to have tree maintenance completed, but cleanup can cause more damage, said Paul Ries, a certified arborist with the state Department of Forestry.

"Homeowners should use caution in selecting a tree service company," said Ries, who manages the state's urban and community forestry program.

He recommends using an arborist whose name and company are familiar in the community, even if that means waiting longer for service.

Many of Oregon's oldest landscape trees were topped or improperly pruned in an over-reaction to tree damage from the 1962 Columbus Day storm, Ries said.

Topping - the practice of removing large branches and tops of trees - creates future hazards, he said.

A previously topped tree is much more likely to break or uproot in a storm than a tree that has a normal branch structure.

Large shade trees still may be sound despite storm damage, said Terry Flanagan, past president of the International Society of Arboriculture's Pacific Northwest chapter.

"Standing trees with some branch damage should be evaluated by a certified arborist before a removal decision is made," Flanagan said.

A list of certified arborists for hire is available online at www.pnwisa.org.