Beckley W.Va. (WOAY) – At the Tamarack Marketplace just outside Beckley, a towering pin oak faced a grim future. With a hollowed-out core, the fate of this magnificent tree was hanging by a branch. A weak structural connection at its trunk threatened to send it crashing down, looming over the event space and nearby children’s playground below.
An arborist is defined as a “tree surgeon” and the experts at Trinity Tree Service stayed true to that title, performing precision work to heal and strengthen the tree rather than cut it down. Using cables and bracing bolts, they performed what is essentially a surgical procedure, giving the tree a second chance at life.
A Tree in Trouble
The tree has what arborists call a co-dominant trunk, meaning two main stems are growing from the same base. While this might look standard, it creates a weak point where the two sections meet. The problem is compounded by inclusive bark, which occurs when bark becomes trapped between the converging stems, preventing the proper interlocking of wood fibers. This lack of proper connection weakens the joint, making it more susceptible to splitting over time.
Bill Bihler, a certified arborist with nearly 50 years of experience, was shocked by the extent of the tree’s damage when he first assessed it.
“I am surprised that it hasn’t already fallen, So we said we could go ahead and do some remedial care. We’re putting some brace bolts in down in the forks, and then up above we’re going to go ahead and put some support brace cabling,” Bihler said.
Cabling and Bracing: A Tree’s Lifeline
To prevent the tree from splitting further, the arborists installed a combination of support cables and bracing bolts. Bracing bolts, which are drilled through the trunk in an X-pattern, provide additional support by holding the tree’s structure together. High-strength metal cables are then installed in the canopy to prevent splitting and damage during heavy storms.
“So what the cables are going to do is, they are going to prevent the canopy from pulling apart. So if it can’t pull apart, then it can’t spread apart at the co-dominant stem, the inclusive bark,” explained Ronnie Kuhn, owner and operator of Trinity Tree Service. “Then we’ll drill big bracing bolts through in an ‘X’ pattern to help prevent that as well. Kind of like just bolting it back together.”
While drilling into a tree may seem harmful, arborists explain that it is a minimal procedure, and the tree can easily bounce back.
“A lot of people think it’s invasive to drill into a tree, but it’s actually a noninvasive procedure. So we’re kind of like tree doctors today. We’re just going in and doing a little surgery on him to make him feel better and stitch him back up,” Kuhn said. “They will heal. They will seal over. And where we go through the heartwood of the tree, it really doesn’t affect any of the uptake of the tree. That’s all in the cambium layer, the outer layers.”
Bihler added to that by saying, “The only time something’s harmful to the tree is when you’re actually choking a tree. Because water and nutrients have to be exchanged up and down, so when everything is strangled, that hurts it. Now, to drill it all the way through it, it adapts to it very well. It seals over it, and that tree will be there, it will adapt to it and be there for a long time.”
Saving Trees Instead of Cutting Them Down
For arborists like Kuhn and Bihler, keeping trees standing is always the preferred option. Their team has over 80 years of combined experience, and over the decades, they have convinced many property owners to save trees rather than remove them.
“By far, I’d rather save a tree than cut one down. They’re beautiful, they’re magnificent creatures. They really provide us so much,” Kuhn said. “So it’s really a good idea to keep them safe and trim them, cable them, fertilize them, whatever needs to be done to keep them happy.”
As a member of the Southern West Virginia Home Builders Association, Trinity Tree Service is no stranger to keeping trees happy and healthy for decades to come.
“Mine and Ronnie’s expertise is in tree preservation. We’ve talked a lot of people out of cutting trees down. When there’s hope for it, like a tree like this one, there’s hope for it. We want people to really save their trees. I’ve had people come back to me ten years later and say, ‘I’m so glad you talked me out of cutting their tree down.’ So that’s what we do,” Bihler said.
A Long-Term Investment in the Landscape
Beyond just this one tree, the preservation efforts at Tamarack are part of a broader commitment to maintaining a healthy landscape for the community. Trinity Tree Service performed a safety prune throughout the area, removing hazardous deadwood and clearing away limbs that could pose a risk during events. In some cases, they had to remove trees that were beyond saving, but those removals came with a plan for the future.
“Some of the trees had to be removed. There were girdling root systems, some trees were actually strangling themselves to death. So they removed those and actually came in and planted all new trees, smaller trees. And so it’ll be ready for the next generation,” Bihler said.
The team hopes that their efforts not only keep the landscape safe but also educate the public about proper tree care. Many trees can be preserved with proactive maintenance like pruning, cabling, and soil amendments.
“The book will tell you, there are guidelines for all of this. There’s best practices,” Bihler said. “So trees are just like people. You want somebody qualified. If you want a tree cut down, just make sure somebody has insurance. But if you want somebody to really come and doctor your tree, baby your tree, get somebody that’s qualified.”
A Commitment to Lifelong Learning
For Ronnie Kuhn and Bill Bihler, tree care isn’t just about experience, it’s about continuous education. Even with nearly 80 years of combined expertise, they actively seek out new techniques, research, and best practices to refine their craft.
“I’ve been doing this for 50 years, I’ve learned a lot, and I’m still learning a lot. The good Lord gave me two ears and one mouth. So I shut up, and I listen up,” Bihler said. “We take a lot of classes in order to keep our certifications. We have to have continuing education. And so we’re always learning. As we learn, we’re always sharing that with our clients.”
Thanks to the work done by Trinity Tree Service, this pin oak tree at Tamarack isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Even though it is being held together by bolts and cables, it still stands tall.
Next time you see a tree with bracing bolts or cables, you’ll know, it’s not a sign of imminent doom. It’s a sign of a tree getting a second chance to thrive.
