Before winter ice settles on Somerset County trees, cabling and bracing can add support to a valuable tree with a weak branch union or a split-prone trunk.
Many mature maples, oaks, and other shade trees in Southwest Pennsylvania grow co-dominant stems, two trunks of similar size rising from a narrow V-shaped union. Bark trapped inside that union weakens it, and the weight of ice and wet snow can pull the stems apart. Steel cables installed high in the canopy limit how far the stems can move, while braces installed through the trunk help hold a weak union or split together.
Our ISA Certified Arborists evaluate each tree before recommending a support system. Cabling and bracing works best on a structurally sound tree with a specific weakness and is not a fix for serious decay. Installed systems are inspected periodically and adjusted as the tree grows, across Somerset, Westmoreland, Cambria, Fayette, and Allegheny counties.
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Real photo of a cabling installation high in a mature shade tree on an STS job, or a close-up of a co-dominant V-shaped union with included bark. Authentic local STS job photos strongly preferred over stock.
Canva text suggestion: "Support Split-Prone Trees Before the Ice" or "Cabling and Bracing for Weak Unions"