Published: Friday, December 20, 2013 at 3:37 p.m. Last Modified: Friday, December 20, 2013 at 3:47 p.m.

Less than 48 hours earlier, she and her teenage son were hunkered down in the utility room of their house while portions of the roof were being ripped off by a tornado.

On Monday, cleanup crews were carefully removing debris some of which was tangled with electrical wire from her property. Her backyard wasn't safe, her insurance company wasn't cooperating and she was coping as best she could.

She wasn't expecting a city official to drop by and tell her she needed to replace a couple trees in her yard that had been cut down by the storm. He handed her a tree-removal permit form with hand-written instructions about what kind of trees she needed one shade tree and one under story. She had six months to comply.

Verdone was flabbergasted.

I was like, 'Really? I mean, really?' I have so much I have to worry about and (the city) is concerned about my trees? she said.

As she talked about it more, her language got saltier.

Other residents complained the city had done the same to them. They said they were visited by Bill Butler, landscape architect for the city of Palm Coast.

What happened after the tornado was that the city sent several staff members out into the neighborhoods to assist homeowners with tree issues, city spokeswoman Cindi Lane wrote in an email. Instead of making the owners come to the city to get their tree-removal permits, we had (Mr.) Butler and other staff members go into the field called in to work on their day off to issue the permits on the spot.

The F1 tornado formed shortly before 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in Espanola, headed east for nine miles and cut through Palm Coast. It touched down in three neighborhoods and damaged at least 185 houses, according to the city. Damage estimates exceed $5.5 million.

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Palm Coast storm victims told some trees must be replaced

San Francisco Tree Removal
How do you remove a tree inside of a city block? Get a large crane and lift pieces of it over the buildings and into a giant wood chipper. (Santa has a quick...

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San Francisco Tree Removal - Video

15 Arundel St West Pymble Tree Removal
Watch our trees disappear as the house build starts!

By: Martin Ralphs

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15 Arundel St West Pymble Tree Removal - Video

The city of Houston has recovered $225,000 through a settlement with Signature City Homes, its owners and contractors, following the removal of two large, healthy and valuable trees in the public right-of-way.

The developer removed a 100-year-old Live Oak with a trunk measuring approximately 36 inches in diameter from 801 Bomar and another tree at 1704 Blodgett St. The actions were in direct violation of city ordinances that prohibit the unpermitted removal of a tree when at least 50 percent of the trunk is in the public right-of-way.

The city filed suit in October after learning about the tree removals and also red tagged each of the properties to halt construction. This settlement will enable construction to continue, but all further permitting requirements must still be met.

We are fortunate that both commercial and residential development is booming in Houston to meet the demands of the strong economic growth in our City, however, developers cannot put their own commercial interest ahead of the law, said Houston Mayor Annise Parker. This settlement and another that followed the removal of trees in Woodland Park in Woodland Heights are meant to send a strong message we will not tolerate the removal and destruction of city trees and vegetation without permit or approval.

The settlement funds will go directly to the Houston Parks and Recreation Department for reforestation purposes in the affected neighborhoods.

City Attorney David Feldman stated he was hopeful that the cost to those involved in this case would serve as a deterrent to others, adding that the city would continue to aggressively pursue recovery if other infractions occur.

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Developer settles suit over tree removal

Longwood, FL (PRWEB) December 19, 2013

With the Christmas holiday just around the corner, Teachers Insurance Specialists offers advice on how to safely remove a Christmas tree to prevent fires and damage to Florida residents homes and cars. Many homeowners dont realize what a hazard a Christmas tree can be, and so its important to not only take care of it, but to also properly dispose of it as well, says Simone Baldwin, owner/operator of Teachers Insurance Specialists.

After the holidays, not only should homeowners take down their tree, but also it is important that it does not remain in your home for more than one month. The longer a Christmas tree stays up, the more hazardous it becomes. The general rule of thumb is that a tree should be disposed of when it begins to drop its needles. Additionally, homeowners should not store a Christmas tree in their garage because a dry tree can start burning out of control within only 30 seconds of being ignited.

Another important guideline is to never burn a Christmas tree in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. Fir and Pine trees contain a good amount of sap and turpentine oils, which can ignite explosively because they are highly flammable. They can also create buildup in your chimney and therefore increase a chance for a chimney fire.

By following the steps below, homeowners can properly dispose of their Christmas Tree and help reduce the number of home insurance claims due to fire and injury. Christmas Trees are one of the favorite traditions this time of year, so it is important to take the proper precautions to prevent accident or injury from occurring and subsequently, pesky insurance claims, emphasizes Baldwin.

How to Remove A Christmas Tree:

Remove the tree skirt.

Use a turkey baster and siphon out the remaining water in the stand.

Set the tree down on its side on top of a sheet, stand and all and then remove the stand. Homeowners can also clip off the branches and bag them. Sweep up as many needles as possible and vacuum any dirt. Needles can damage a vacuum cleaner.

If using a plastic tree bag, envelope the tree and stand, then take them outside. Once outside remove the plastic and stand.

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Teachers Insurance Specialists Provide Tips On How to Safely Remove a Christmas Tree

extreme tree removal
This video is about extreme tree removal.

By: Jamin Alegre

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extreme tree removal - Video

After a tree has been cut and felled, the stump or tree stump is usually a small remaining portion of the trunk with the roots still in the ground. Stumps may show the age-defining rings of a tree. The study of these rings is known as dendrochronology.

Stumps (both those on the ground and stumps of removed branches) are sometimes able to regenerate into new trees. Often, a deciduous tree that has been cut will re-sprout in multiple places around the edge of the stump or from the roots. Depending on whether the tree is being removed permanently or whether the forest is expected to recover, this can be either desirable or undesirable. Stump sprouts can grow very quickly and sometimes become viable trees themselves either for aesthetics or timber, due to the existing root structure; however, the cut portion of the trunk may weaken the sprouts and introduce disease into the newly forming tree(s).

The process of deliberately cutting a tree to a stump to regrow is known as coppicing.[1]

Tree stumps can be difficult to remove from the ground. They can be dug out, shredded with a stump grinder or burnt.

A common method for stump removal is to use one of the many chemical stump removal products, so long as immediate results are not needed. These stump removers are mostly made of potassium nitrate (KNO3) and act by rapidly increasing the decay of the stump. After an average of 46 weeks, the stump will be rotten through and easily fragmented in manageable pieces. If time is a limiting factor, setting fire to the stump is effective because once the potassium nitrate has been absorbed it acts as an effective oxidizer.

Historically, an explosive called stumping powder was used to blast stumps into bits.

In plantation forests in parts of Europe, stumps are sometimes pulled out of the ground using a specially adapted tracked excavator, to supply wood fuel for biomass power stations. Stump harvesting may provide an increasing component of the woody material required by the biomass power sector.

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Tree stump - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Danger stands tall in a wooded backyard near 96th and Western in Omaha. An elderly homeowner has been told to cut down dying trees. Its part of a city-wide survey by city arborists.

Since her husband died a few weeks ago Daphne Ulveling stands alone in challenging a city order that she cut down four cottonwoods. Daphne says, " My husband recently died so my income has been greatly reduced."

Daphne says the trees lean more toward her home than north 96th. But the city labels them a menace to public safety and must come down in two months. While those cut it or else words in all caps seem firm like the paper they're written on, city tree experts say they're flexible.

City parks can allow one at a time removal and extend the deadline if the trees aren't an immediate danger. Josh Frey Omaha parks maintenance manager says, " Thats what were here for is to determine how danger it is how long we can let things go for, and work with citizens on extensions."

The city recommends property owners ordered to remove trees get five estimates. Daphne is starting that process but worries she'll end up paying thousands of dollars. One tree removal company tells Fact Finders the trees stand on a slope near a power line so the job will be difficult.

Daphne says, "I can't afford it unless they give me a period of time to pay it off. I'm sure four cottonwoods are going to be expensive."

The widow of a retired military officer Daphne knows about following orders. But the citys demand she cut four backyard cottonwoods is one she plans to challenge.

As last resort homeowners who disagree with a tree removal order can appeal. A board will hear it,and decide if the city order should stand or not.

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Tree Removal Order Stuns Widow

COLORADO SPRINGS Some issues concerning hazard-tree removal along county property in the Black Forest were ironed out Tuesday at a work session, but questions remain for El Paso County commissioners before a contractor is signed on to do the work.

Outspoken Black Forest residents wondered whether using Federal Emergency Management Administration money would be cost effective. They and the commissioners also questioned whether the work needs to be done now as many of the trees blackened in the June wildfire near county roads and trails could stand for years to come without posing a danger.

"We need to take care of the safety hazards now," said Jim Reid, the county director of public services.

Reid's staff presented a detailed plan at the first of two meetings held to solicit public comment before commissioners gather to make a decision on Dec. 31. The second meeting will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the monthly Black Forest Long-Term Recovery meeting.

Read more of the article El Paso County debates blackened trees left from Black Forest fires at Gazette.com.

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El Paso County debates blackened trees left from Black Forest fires

Tree removal dec 13 2013
Small time laps of tree removal crew doing their job at my neighbor house. Temp 20F. I am just sorry.

By: Pajo Nate

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Tree removal dec 13 2013 - Video