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Archive for the ‘Tree Trimming’ Category

Arbor Day Foundation Awards Recognition to Rochester Public Utilities as 2022 Tree Line USA Utility

Friday, March 25th, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  
Arbor Day Foundation
Lauren Weyers 
lweyers@arborday.org  
 

Arbor Day Foundation Awards Recognition to Rochester Public Utilities as 2022 Tree Line USA Utility 
Rochester Public Utilities earns the Tree Line USA recognition for their commitment to urban forestry in its community 

 
LINCOLN, Nebraska – Rochester Public Utilities was named a 2022 Tree Line USA by the Arbor Day Foundation to recognize its dedication to proper urban forest management in the provider’s service area. 
 
Tree Line USA, a partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, recognizes public and private utilities for pursuing best practices that protect and cultivate America’s urban tree canopy. In addition, Tree Line USA promotes delivering safe and reliable electricity while maintaining healthy community forests. 
 
“Trees are essential to creating more urban green spaces in communities across the United States,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “In addition, they provide important benefits to residents, including clean air, clean water, and vital tree shade. Service providers like Rochester Public Utilities demonstrate how easily trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and residents.”
 
By joining the Tree Line USA program, service providers benefit from lowering line clearance costs due to proper pruning. As a result of those properly pruned and maintained trees, the people benefit from increased reliability of service because those trees will have healthy root systems that decay less, have less structural weakness, and ultimately result in fewer downed lines during storms. 
 
Rochester Public Utilities achieved the Tree Line USA recognition by meeting five program standards: quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, a formal tree-based energy conservation, and a sponsorship of or participation Arbor Day celebration.  
 
More information about Tree Line USA can be found at www.arborday.org/TreeLineUSA

About the Arbor Day Foundation
Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters and valued partners. Since 1972, almost 500 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to lead toward a world where trees are used to solve issues critical to survival.  

As one of the world’s largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation, through its members, partners and programs, educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees. More information is available at arborday.org.

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RPU Tree Trimming Locations

Tuesday, March 31st, 2020

Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) will spend nearly $1.4 million this year on proactive tree trimming and vegetation management.  In 2020, RPU plans to do proactive trimming along 17 different feeders.  Within the map, two types of trimming areas are shown, Planned and Proposed.  Planned areas, , will be trimmed in their entirety along the depicted areas.  Proposed areas, , will be trimmed at priority locations within the depicted areas.  

What Customers should know about tree trimming:

  • Safety and system reliability are the reasons for RPU tree trimming.
  • RPU will send a mailing,connect with you in person at your door, or leave a door hanger to affected neighborhoods in order to communicate what work is being done and when.
  • It is important to stay a safe distance away from the coned-off work zones while trimming is being done.
  • All tree trimming should be done by a licensed and certified tree trimming professional.

Follow the link below for a real-time map of RPU tree trimming locations scheduled or currently being trimmed.

RPU tree trimming map

RPU Tree Trimming Video now available!

Wednesday, February 25th, 2015

Check out our new video on RPU’s You Tube channel that goes over RPU Tree Trimming Operations. We hope you enjoy the video!

http://www.rpu.org/your-home/customer-service/tree-trimming.html

 

Tree trimming location

Tuesday, March 5th, 2013

RPU has a regular tree trimming cycle to manage and maintain tree clearance for overhead lines in Rochester. The map below shows where crews will be starting on Friday, March 8. Depending on the location, it may take several weeks for the crews to adequately trim back and remove vegitation.


Click image to enlarge

Make “nice” with your trees

Monday, July 12th, 2010

 


A rotten tree that broke and took down a power line, utility pole, and smashed a truck

Trees can be the best things to have in your yard and sometimes can be your biggest problems as well. This summer has abnormally busy with outages and disturbances caused by trees and limbs getting into overhead power lines. It might be time for you to make “nice” with your trees!

I’m not necessarily saying that you need to give your tree a hug from time to time, but there are some routine things to be aware of that can make you and your trees much happier this summer.

1. Take a walk with your trees- Walk around your yard and property and identify where you see your trees getting close to overhead power lines. Document these areas by keeping a list or taking photos. Understand that during a calm day there may not be any trees getting near the lines, but consider if there were heavy winds and how far that tree may get blown over if a strong wind were present. Look for possible burn marks on the branches near the lines. If you see burn marks on the branches- those are indications that lightning or the electric line made contact with your tree.

2. Check the bones of your trees- Do you see less foliage on certain trees than you have in past years? Bare branches can often be a sign that a tree is diseased or dying. As this happens, the integrity of the branches and truck is compromised and can cause it to crack or break of completely.

3. Have a professional inspection- Contact RPU if you have concerns about your trees around the power lines. An RPU tree trimming expert will come out and survey your trees and will look over your documentation such as your photos and visible damage. Never try to trim your trees and limbs back yourself. If RPU determines there are areas that are dangerous or are possibly causing outages, they will trim your trees for free.

4. During and outage, your best cleanup effort is to call RPU- During an outage, there are often times many trees and overhead electric lines down. The best way to help RPU is to let us know that your power is out. If you’re aware of any tree or overhead line damage, please let us know about that as well. Do not try to do cleanup work before an RPU crew has been by and surveyed the area. Under brush and fallen tree branches can be energized power lines or other dangerous debris that RPU line workers are trained to work with.

Hopefully these tips will help to better prevent power outages in your area caused by the wind and weather damaging your trees this summer. Have a safe and happy summer! Tony B.