GREAT FALLS — With the warmer weather and snow starting to thaw, it's a good time to start thinking about tree and lawn work, and make sure you take care of it before spring arrives.
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Zach Mathes has loved falling wood since his childhood.
Mathes said, “I’ve always enjoyed running chainsaws and, [I] just enjoy it.”
Mathes is the owner of Big Sky Tree Service and says that now is the time to start thinking about trees on your property, to see if they need to be trimmed or removed altogether.
Mathes said, “If you want to remove them right now is a really great time while the lawn, is still kind of dead and stuff, and you don't have to worry as much about stuff.”
Before you trim, check to see if your trees are dead. Look for peeling bark, discoloration, or branches that aren’t budding. If you have a dead elm tree, it could be a bigger problem.
Todd Seymanski, City Forester with Great Falls said, “Now would be a good time to go through your backyard to see if you have any dead, American elms that could have died from, Dutch Elm Disease.”
Seymanski said its best to check and remove dead trees now rather than later in the tree’s yearly cycle.
Seymanski said, “You always want to trim your trees before they leaf out.”
Tree trimming does not only make the tree look better. It also makes it safer.
Seymanski said, “You get good branch structure on it. You know, they can become overgrown, weak branches,”
If you live in the Boulevard District of town, you pay a fee for the city to manage your trees. If you are outside of the Boulevard District, it is up to the property owner.
Seymanski said, “We can advise on, what to do if they have any questions,”
Tree trimming is a busy profession, and usually these companies have booked out weeks or months in advance, so it's better to figure it out now before it gets too late.
You can call Park and Recreation at (406) 771 1265
You can call Big Sky Tree Service at (406) 799 8880
