You might be surprised that winter is the best time of year to prune your trees. In winter, leaves are gone on deciduous trees making the canopy and tree structure more visible. This allows an arborist to better assess the tree for defects and hazardous conditions. Pruning during the dormant season gives trees time to heal and compartmentalize their wounds prior to the spring flush of new growth.
YFR Tree & Land Management Now Has a Track Chipper
Check out YFR’s newest acquisition, a Bandit track chipper! We have decided to name it Homer, after the green hungry hungry hippo (yes, they have names 🤣).
Homer will allow us to process material in areas where a conventional tow-behind chipper cannot access, and also chip material over 20” in diameter. Some exciting features are the track-driven CAT undercarriage and a 173 horsepower John Deere Diesel motor. It also has a hydraulic winch that can pull entire trees right to the feedwheels, saving on labor costs.
Forest stewardship is the key to managing fire risk on your property and protecting it into the future
Fire is a natural component of the Sierra Nevada, and has been shaping these forests for a long time. Many tree species have adapted to fire with thick, fire-resistant bark and foliage. We know that local native people benefited from utilizing fire regularly to manage forests. Historically, frequent low-severity fires helped lessen forest fuel loads and reduce the amount of smaller trees and seedlings. Nowadays, climate change plus over a century of fire suppression has given way to forests that contain hazardous levels of vegetation and are very susceptible to drought, insects, and disease.