Condo Media - September 2023 - 27

SEACOAST TREE CARE
Certifi ed Arborist
Marc Bolcome
gram with Seacoast gives our residents peace of mind, "
says Hamilton. " It just makes it look so nice in here.
It's made a world of diff erence in the community. "
SAVE THE TREES - ESPECIALLY THESE THREE
Particularly in urgent need of preservation are three
species of tree that are being devastated by disease
throughout New England. One is the ash tree, which
is dying out unless treated " intravenously, " with an
injection through the trunk.
Seacoast Tree Care took a proactive approach to saving
the ash trees at Exeter Mill, an apartment complex
developed from a converted mill in Exeter, New Hampshire.
Originally hired to preserve dogwood trees at the
property, Seacoast Tree Care regularly monitors and
services all the trees on the property. When Bolcome
became aware that the emerald ash borer, which had destroyed
ash forests in the Midwest, had begun aff ecting
ash trees locally, he contacted Property Manager Karl
Edmonds, who got the funds approved to treat the trees.
Edmonds notes that many Exeter Mill residents are
retirees, who spend most of their time out and about on
the property, walking by the river or walking their dogs
in the dog park. " They're on the grounds, so if there are
issues, they're going to be noticed. Having the place look
in pristine condition is important, " he says. " Seacoast
works hand in hand with us to make sure the place looks
the way it should. They're experts at what they do. "
Hemlocks are also under threat. " If you have hemlocks
and you want to keep them, you have to have
them on a treatment program, " Bolcome reports.
" Many of our treatments are multi-year, so we can
treat trees and not have to go back and treat them
again for several years, as long as they're on our
database and in our program. "
Saddest to Bolcome is the beech tree. " There's nothing
more beautiful than a big beech tree, " he says. Beech leaf
disease, however, has just arrived in the area this year,
and the trees must be treated in order to be saved.
" What we really get excited about is saving trees, "
says Bolcome. " Any condominium property with any
ash, hemlock, or beech trees is urged to seek treatment
immediately if they want to save them. "
THE TIME IS NOW
Of course, as aging condominium complexes confront
expensive maintenance issues, a board might well ask:
" Why should we worry about tree care, anyway? Don't they
just grow on their own? "
Bolcome has an easy answer for that. " You're going to
spend the money anyway. You're either going to spend the
money on preserving the trees, or you're going to be spending
the money on taking them down - you can't escape
it, " he says. " You're going to spend money on cutting back
encroachments on the buildings, or you're going to spend
money on replacing wooden soffi ts or shingling. You're
going to spend money anyway by neglecting tree care -
it's just a matter of spending the money wisely, which
actually ends up saving in the long run and preserving
the landscape. "
He points out further that many unit owners are attracted
to a property in the fi rst place by its landscaping
- especially its beautiful trees. If the trees become diseased
or hazardous and need to be taken down, that can lead to
disappointment - and even potentially a drop in property
value. " If you have a plan where you move along each year,
it's not going to cascade into a catastrophe. It's just something
that's going to be managed, " he says.
For most condo communities, Bolcome adds, the best
time to perform the work of the master plan is in the winter
- January through March. Firstly, most tree companies
have discounted rates during that time of year. Secondly,
it's easier for the arborist to perform the work when the
leaves are down because it's easier to see through the
canopies. And thirdly, most communities aren't as active
outdoors during those months, so it's typically easier for the
work crew and safer for the residents when there aren't as
many people interacting in the work zone.
" It's like a symphony when they've got their cranes out
here and they're cutting the trees - it's amazing to watch, "
says Hamilton. " They're very professional and they know
what they're doing. I'm very happy for them to be in our
community and helping us to maintain it. "
To learn how Seacoast Tree Care can help you manage
the trees on your property, call (603) 431-0101, or visit
seacoasttreecare.com.
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http://www.seacoasttreecare.com
Condo Media - September 2023

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