“They found a dead limb over our porch roof that I had walked under for years. The report marked where, in plain words, and the work matched it.”
Marguerite D.Historic District homeowner
Tree care for old Savannah lots
Care for the old trees that shade old Savannah houses
Three ISA Certified Arborists on one small crew. We read the whole tree, write down what we find, and prune only what the tree can spare.
Leandro BrisenoOwner and ISA Certified Arborist
A sample tree health report
What you read after we walk around your tree
Every assessment ends in a short written report like this one. This is a sample on a sample tree, not a client's.
| What this sample says | What we check | |
|---|---|---|
| Tree and site | What this sample saysLive oak in the rear garden of a brick townhouse. Trunk about 40 inches across at chest height. Brick paving over the roots on two sides. | What we checkSpecies, trunk size, what is built or paved within the roots' reach |
| Crown | What this sample saysFull leaf cover overall. Two dead limbs over the roofline. One long, low limb carries a lot of weight past the trunk. | What we checkLeaf cover, dead wood, the weight of each limb and where it hangs |
| Trunk and root flare | What this sample saysAn old pruning wound, closed over with sound wood. Mulch is piled against the trunk and hides the root flare. | What we checkCavities, cracks, fungi, and anything piled against the base |
| Roots and soil | What this sample saysSoil is packed from foot traffic on the east side. No sign of recent trenching. | What we checkPacked soil, changes in grade, trenching, drainage |
| Risk | What this sample saysOne limb over the roofline is rated for follow-up. Everything else is low. | What we checkWhat could fail, how likely it is, and what it would hit |
| What we recommend | What this sample saysRemove the two dead limbs. Pull the mulch back from the trunk. Loosen the soil on the east side. Look again after the next growing season. | What we checkWork in order of need, and what can wait |
Historic lots
An old lot has its own rules
Brick walks, old foundations, shallow roots, and a live oak limb over a roof that is older than the building code.
Some trees in Savannah need city approval before they are pruned or removed, and the squares and streets have their own rules. Before we book any pruning or removal, we check what applies and tell you in writing.
On an old lot we
Check the roots before brick, paving or a trench goes near a tree
Plan the limbs that hang over your roof, one by one
Rig loads by hand where a truck can't reach the back garden
Leave Spanish moss and resurrection fern alone
What we do
Six kinds of work, one kind of care
Most visits end in less cutting than owners expect.
- 01
Pruning for structure and clearance
Thinning and reduction cuts that follow the tree's own branching, with room over roofs, walks and wires. No topping.
- 02
Assessments and written reports
A walk around the tree, then a report you can keep with your house records.
- 03
Plant health care
Soil care, mulch and watering plans, and a plan for a pest or disease once we know what it is.
- 04
Cabling and bracing
Support for a heavy limb or a split union on a tree worth keeping.
- 05
Protection during building work
Fencing, root-zone rules and a plan your contractors can follow, so a renovation doesn't cut the roots.
- 06
Removal, when it comes to that
When a tree can't be kept, we take it down in sections and tell you what the city needs first.
Credentials
Each of us holds our own
An ISA credential belongs to a person, not a company. ISA publishes a search, so you can check any of ours.
Certified arborists
Leandro Briseno
ISA Certified Arborist
Zaria Hooks
ISA Certified Arborist
Elian Heredia
ISA Certified Arborist
Insurance
Liability and workers' compensation insurance
Covers damage from our work and our crew on your lot
How a visit goes
From a photo to a written plan
- 01
Step 1: Send a photo
Text a picture of the tree and the part that worries you, or fill in the form. We call you to set a time.
- 02
Step 2: We walk it with you
An ISA Certified Arborist looks at the crown, trunk, roots and soil, and listens to what you have noticed.
- 03
Step 3: You get it in writing
The findings, what to do first, what can wait, and the price for the work, before anything is booked.
- 04
Step 4: The work
A climber and a ground crew, with the arborist who wrote the report on site.
- 05
Step 5: A second look
For trees we have worked on, we look again after the next growing season and update the report.
From homeowners
What clients say after the report
“Our contractor was about to trench through the roots for a drain line. Leandro wrote the root-zone rules down and the crew followed them.”
Delphine T.Renovating on Isle of Hope
“They cut less than I expected and the oak looks better for it. The report lives in my house folder now.”
Lowell B.Wilmington Island homeowner
Sample reviews.
What we won't do
Four things you won't hear us offer
Topping
Cutting a tree back to stubs weakens it and sprouts weak growth. We reduce a crown by cutting to a branch that can take over.
Spikes in a tree that stays
Climbing spurs wound the bark. We climb on ropes unless the tree is coming down.
A chainsaw on a ladder
Cutting on a ladder is how people get hurt. We tie in to the tree or work from a lift.
Removal before the city question
We find out whether a tree needs approval before the first cut, not after.
Service area
Savannah and the islands
Check your ZIP code against the list, or text a photo and ask.
Chatham County
- Savannah
- Isle of Hope
- Skidaway Island
- Wilmington Island
- Tybee Island
- Thunderbolt
- Bloomingdale
- Pooler
- Port Wentworth
Bryan County
- Richmond Hill
We don't work in South Carolina, and we don't take land clearing or lot-wide removals for developers.
ZIP codes: 31401, 31404, 31405, 31406, 31302, 31407, 31410, 31411, 31419, 31322, 31324
Questions
Before you call
What does it cost?
It depends on the size and condition of the tree, how we can reach it, and what has to be protected nearby. We tell you when you book whether the visit has a fee, and the written estimate says what it covers and what it does not.
How soon can you come, and how long does the work take?
We book assessments in the order requests arrive, and a tree that threatens a house or a person goes first. Most pruning is a single day; we tell you the work window in the written plan.
Are you licensed and insured?
ISA certification is the credential in this trade, and each of our three arborists holds one. The business holds a city business tax certificate and insurance. The numbers are in the footer, and ISA lets you look up a credential.
What happens at the assessment?
An arborist walks the lot with you, looks at the crown, trunk, roots and soil, and asks what you have seen. A written report follows, before any work is booked.
How do I pay?
You approve the written estimate, and we agree on a deposit and a final payment before work starts. Ask us which payment methods we accept.
What about rain, wind and summer heat?
We reschedule for lightning, heavy rain and high wind. On very hot days the crew starts early and takes breaks; a long job may run over two mornings.
What should I do before you arrive?
Move cars and garden furniture from under the tree, make sure we can reach the back gate, and tell us about irrigation lines, lights or anything buried near the roots.
Do you work after a storm?
We do not answer calls at all hours. If a tree is on a house or on power lines, call 911 and the utility first. After that, we call people back in the order of risk to a home or a person, and we cannot reach every call the same day.
Does this tree need city approval?
Some do. We check before we book pruning or removal, tell you what we find, and give you the paperwork the city asks for. The decision is the city's.
Is Spanish moss hurting my oak?
No. Spanish moss sits on branches and takes nothing from the tree. A great deal of it can point to a thin crown, which is worth a look, but the moss is not the problem.
Ask for an assessment
Tell us about the tree
Where it is, what you have noticed, and what you'd like to protect. We call to set a time.
Phone(912) 555-0101
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- By appointment
- SundayToday
- Closed