Cabling

Cabling is a technique used by arborists to give trees supplemental support. The cabling system we use consists of installing eyebolts into 2 or more stems on the tree and installing a taught cable between them to for support.

Some good points about cabling are as follows:

• Minimizes damage to trees with heavy limbs or weak spots in structure that could be damaged by high winds and/or heavy ice and snow loads.
• Maintains health of "Heritage Trees" by reducing possibility of limb loss or heavy pruning. Which would reduce the photosynthetic energy production of the tree, resulting in reduced defense energy and increasing susceptibility to pathogens. Also possibly contributing to decline and eventual death of the tree.
• Helps to support weak branch attachments. Most frequently large sections of trees fail when they grow with a V-shaped angle between them. Often times this forms included bark between the stems which can be easily at a branch union. In some cases a branch bark ridge forms in between the stems as they push against one another.
• Splitting branches may be supplementally secured through cabling and bracing if the situation permits.
• Minimizes damage to trees in high winds and/or heavy ice and snow loads.
• Cables are not permanent and must be inspected at least every two years from the ground with binoculars (this can be done by homeowner). And every five years by an arborist aloft to check for material deterioration and possible changes in tree conditions.
• It is best to have pruning done in conjunction with cabling to minimize potential failure and improve the overall integrity of the tree's structure.