www.arborage.com Arbor Age / May 2014 11
helpful to offer to replant trees. Offering to replant low-
growing trees to replace those that have been removed
leaves people feeling more satisfied with the work — even
if they decide not to take the company up on the offer.
When project work is complete, utility arborists should
follow up with both residential and municipal customers
to determine their satisfaction levels and if any additional
resources are needed. By fi nding out how the program went
from the customers' point of view, utility employees may
uncover new ways to help things run even more smoothly
in the future.
Adjust your aesthetic expectations
Pruning trees to ensure system reliability may involve a
different style of pruning than some tree workers are used
to. The key difference is that utility tree workers are pruning
for a function, rather than purely for aesthetics. Sometimes
this means pruning the tree in a way that is not aesthetically
pleasing, but that makes the area safe and protects the integrity
of the system. Ultimately, a utility's goal is to use directional
pruning to direct growth away from the power lines so the
tree remains healthy, avoids contact with power lines, and is
still pleasing in appearance.
Know the right tree for the right place
Education is an extremely important component of a
utility arborist's job. When tree workers are in the fi eld in-
teracting with customers, they have a great opportunity to
communicate to customers about "right tree, right place."
From a utility perspective, this is the idea that before plant-
ing any tree, customers should choose a species and location
that keeps the tree clear of overhead wires and away from
underground electric lines. Proper tree species selection and
placement helps avoid utility line confl icts in the future —
and, therefore, helps avoid future outages.
Working as an arborist or tree care worker at a utility com-
pany presents many unique challenges, but it can also offer
great rewards. Utility tree workers make a signifi cant impact
on their communities by helping customers with tree care
issues, directing them to the right resources, and, ultimately,
ensuring the electric system remains safe and reliable through
careful work and planning.
Sara Sankowich is system arborist at Unitil, a public utility holding
company, headquartered in Hampton, New Hampshire, that provides
electric and natural gas distribution services in New England.
