Four Epic Arborist Fails: Tales of Tree Work Gone Bad

We count on arborists to keep the trees on the Sunshine Coast healthy and looking great. But what if they fail to do their job right?

Case Number 1: Botched Tree Removal

You have decided that it's time for that big old gum tree in your backyard to go so you look for an arborist to do the job. Alas! This bloke with a chainsaw comes knocking at your door offering his tree removal services for a dirt cheap price so you grab the opportunity. How convenient! You feel like you're hitting two birds with one stone: you get rid of a dying tree at a pocket-friendly price, or so it seems. And so, you seal the deal and give this bloke the job.

Armed with his chainsaw and a few meters of rope, the dude starts cutting through the tree's trunk. After an eternity later, your old gum tree starts to sway unsteadily, hitting powerlines and sending sparks everywhere, before finally crashing down to - of all places - your neighbour's house.

A lot of things went wrong here. First is the lack of thorough assessment of the tree's condition, location, and surrounding area. Clearly, it was a rookie mistake because no self-respecting and highly-experienced arborist will attempt to fell a tree without conducting an assessment and checking on potential risks and hazards. Second is the clear lack of knowledge and experience on the part of the arborist - that is if he is really one. Tree removal is not a one-man show but is carried out by an experienced team equipped with the right tools and equipment. Third, and the worst part of this whole story, is the bloke's complete disregard for everyone's safety. When it comes to tree care and maintenance jobs, safety is always a top priority.

Tree removal is a job that requires skills, experience, and a healthy dose of common sense. If you need to have a tree removed from your property, look for a reputable team of arborists who can do the job right and not just some guy with an axe who offers cheap service. You might find yourself digging deep into your back pocket and parting ways with your hard-earned cash to pay for damages or - God forbid - hospital bills because of a botched tree removal service.

Case Number 2: Tree Pruning Nightmare

Pruning is an essential tree care and maintenance service. It keeps your trees healthy and in great shape. It is both art and science and must be done skillfully using the right tools. Some people think that pruning a tree is a simple task. You're just cutting a few branches here and there, what could go wrong?

Well, think again.

I'm sure you've all watched the video of this poor bloke clinging on for dear life as the palm tree he was trimming took him for a wild ride. To the arborist doing the job, it's just another day at work but to onlookers and everyone who watched the short clip of his misadventure, it was scary to witness a tree trunk about to fling a live person to kingdom come.

And while we are all thankful that the arborist in the video is alive and well, we see a lot of things that went wrong. We see the sheer lack of safety precautions; that palm tree crown that he cut could have landed on someone's head. We also that the arborist is working alone. Pruning may be a simple task in most cases but if you're dealing with a palm tree that is 30 metres tall, then acting alone with nothing but your Spiderman grip to rely on for safety is probably not the wisest thing to do while doing some dangerous tree work.

This is why it is crucial for arborists to be armed with the right tools, equipment, and machinery. A bucket truck that can reach as high as 100 feet could have made the job of that arborist on that video a lot safer (he would've not gone viral though).

As for the palm tree, we're sure as hell that it has met its untimely demise. Cutting off the crownshaft of a single-trunk palm tree entirely would deprive it of its much-needed nutrients, resulting in its death. 

Pruning is done to stimulate growth and keep a tree lush and healthy, not kill it. Get a team of arborists who puts a premium on safety and shows acumen on the job. After all, what we want is to see our trees healthy and well-cared for, and not a daredevil act right in our own backyard.

Case Number 3: Tree Assessment Fiasco

Most tree management companies here on the Sunshine Coast begin their service with a free assessment of the tree in question as well as its location and the surrounding area. Some people may think that this "free service" is given to entice people into giving them the job but that's not the case.

Failing to conduct a thorough assessment of a tree's stability and structure can have catastrophic consequences, both to your tree and to your property.

If a tree is already structurally compromised, it can pose a safety hazard, especially during severe weather conditions. Weakened branches can cause property damage or injury to people when not correctly and carefully removed. 

Take the case of this bloke who cut a tree and ended up taking down his shed as well. You can see from the picture that the tree is so close to houses. We can almost hear his neighbours praying their Hail Marys as the man try to chuck the tree down. 

Careful assessment could have prevented this disaster from happening. You can also see from the picture that the tree trunk is hollow which means it could be infected or decay has begun from the inside. Without a thorough evaluation, diseases and pests could spread to other plants and trees in the area, leading to property owners spending more on pest and disease control.

A true arborist will not only consider the property owner's safety but will also take into account the well-being of the vegetation surrounding the tree that needs to be pruned or removed. Sure, you can apologize once the damage has been done but "sorry" won't pay for the damages and put you in the good books of your neighbours.

Case Number 4: Arborists from Hell

We have saved the best, or should we say the worst, for last.

We can blame the lack of experience, skills, and common sense on the first three cases that we have tackled. This one, however, belongs to an entirely different category and is brought about by pure evil.

The entire nation knows the story of Sunshine Coast local Joyce Pascoe, an 89-year-old dementia sufferer who lost nearly $70,000 in a tree pruning scam. Fraudsters pretending to be door-to-door salesmen offered their tree pruning services to this helpless lady and would return periodically to ask for payments because they knew that the poor lady had forgotten she had paid already paid them when no work has actually been done.

No reputable tree service company would go door to door offering services, especially on a weekend. Unqualified tree workers are becoming more common these days, leaving botched jobs and worse, empty pockets for unsuspecting property owners.

Tree scams such as what happened to Joyce don't just happen here in Australia; it happens everywhere. Con artists pretending to be arborists are everywhere, preying mostly on elderly property owners because they are the most vulnerable. Some dodgy tree workers will actually attempt to do the job but once things go south, they are nowhere to be found. 

Key Takeaways

Let these four cases of arborist jobs gone wrong serve as cautionary tales to guide you. Be vigilant when hiring arborists to prune or remove a tree on your Sunshine Coast property. Remember, a good arborist has the experience, skills, and tools to do the job right. They prioritize the safety of everyone and everything around the tree that needs to be serviced. Most importantly, they are qualified professionals whose reputation is built on professionalism and integrity. 

Sure, accidents can happen to anyone at any given time, but a tree job going wrong because of a lack of common sense, or worse, a deliberate attempt to defraud a homeowner can be avoided by dealing with a legit team of arborists such as Arborist Sunshine Coast. 

Our service to our clients begins with a free, no-obligation consultation and assessment of the trees on your property before recommending a solution that's right for your and that big guy in your backyard. Call us at 07 5451 8756 or fill out our contact form.  Our friendly staff will be in touch as soon as we get your inquiry.