I have recently had a question posed to me regarding the value of a Poplar tree. This tree was damaged in a wind storm and came crashing down on a house. Poplars are notorious for being a liability. The homeowner says her insurance company will cover the value of the tree in addition to the cost of the removal ...? But how does a poplar tree which was a liability to begin with have any value? Wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience and may know if this tree did in fact have any value which the insurance company will cover.
likely you will need to hire a consulting arborist qualified to value your tree based on a number of factors. The arborist should at least be ISA certified and if possible, ASCA registered as a consulting arborist. I dont know of anyone personally in the Calgary area [although I was there over the weekend for a wedding, darnit I could have recovered some of my costs! :) ] I would try calling Alberta Arborists, they are based in Edmonton but I do know the owner of the company well and would respect his suggestion for a person to help you. the book they will likely use as a base for their decision is here: http://secure.isa-arbor.com/store/Guide-for-Plant-Appraisal-P45C0.aspx along with a couple of books or courses about how to write reports for trees etc. Ask your insurance provider if this is what they need for their decision.
