Arborist Services — Science-Based Tree Care
Anyone can cut a tree. It takes an ISA Certified Arborist to diagnose what is killing it, assess whether it is safe to keep, and develop a treatment plan that actually works. Our arborist services go beyond physical tree work into the science of keeping trees healthy and safe.
What Our Certified Arborists Do
Our arborist services address the diagnostic, preventive, and corrective side of tree care — the work that requires knowledge of tree biology, pathology, and structural mechanics.
Tree Health Assessments
A thorough evaluation of your trees' health and structural condition by an ISA Certified Arborist. We inspect root zones for girdling roots and soil compaction, trunks for decay and cavities, and canopies for dieback, disease symptoms, and pest activity. You receive a written report with findings and recommendations — not just a verbal opinion. Health assessments are the foundation of proactive tree care.
TRAQ Tree Risk Assessment
When you need a formal, defensible risk evaluation — for insurance purposes, real estate transactions, or municipal compliance — our TRAQ-qualified arborists apply the ISA's standardized risk assessment methodology. We assess the likelihood of structural failure, the part most likely to fail, the target (what would be hit), and the consequences. The result is a written risk rating with recommended mitigation strategies.
Plant Health Care Programs
Plant health care (PHC) is proactive, science-based tree management. Rather than waiting for problems, PHC programs monitor tree health over time and apply targeted treatments — deep root fertilization, soil amendments, mycorrhizal inoculants, and preventive pest management — to keep trees vigorous. Healthy trees resist disease, tolerate stress, and live longer. Our programs are customized to your property's soil, species, and conditions.
Trunk Injections & Disease Treatment
For targeted pest and disease control, we use micro-infusion trunk injection systems that deliver pesticides, fungicides, or nutrients directly into the tree's vascular system. This eliminates spray drift, protects beneficial insects, and ensures the active ingredient reaches the canopy where it is needed. We use trunk injection to treat emerald ash borer (emamectin benzoate), oak wilt (propiconazole), and various nutrient deficiencies.
Tree Cabling & Bracing
When a tree has structural weaknesses — co-dominant stems, included bark, heavy lateral limbs — but is otherwise healthy and worth preserving, cabling and bracing can provide supplemental support. We install steel cables between co-dominant leaders and threaded rod braces through weak unions following ANSI A300 standards. This reduces the risk of structural failure without removing the tree.
Disease Diagnosis & Pathology
Our arborists are trained to recognize the symptoms of common Wisconsin tree diseases: oak wilt, Dutch elm disease, apple scab, anthracnose, cytospora canker, needle cast, and more. When visual diagnosis is uncertain, we collect tissue and soil samples for laboratory analysis. Accurate diagnosis is critical — the wrong treatment wastes money and can make the problem worse.
Oak Wilt Prevention & Treatment in Wisconsin
Oak wilt is the most destructive tree disease in Wisconsin. Caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum, it kills red oaks within weeks and slowly degrades white oaks over several years. The disease spreads two ways: through root grafts between neighboring oaks, and via sap beetles attracted to wounds during the growing season.
Prevention is the most effective strategy. Never prune oaks between April 1 and October 31. If a wound occurs during this window, immediately seal it with wound paint — oak wilt is the one exception where wound treatment is recommended. For high-value oaks in areas with confirmed oak wilt, preventive trunk injection with propiconazole provides systemic protection.
Signs of Oak Wilt
- Rapid leaf discoloration starting at leaf margins and progressing inward
- Wilting and browning of leaves beginning in the upper crown
- Premature leaf drop during summer months (July-August)
- Dark streaking visible in sapwood when bark is peeled back
- Fungal mats forming under bark that cause bark cracking (red oaks)
- Neighboring red oaks dying in an expanding pattern from a central point
Emerald Ash Borer Treatment
Emerald ash borer (EAB) has killed tens of millions of ash trees across the Midwest, and Southern Wisconsin is no exception. Every untreated ash tree in our service area is at risk. EAB larvae feed under the bark, destroying the vascular tissue that transports water and nutrients. Without treatment, infested ash trees die within 3 to 5 years.
We treat ash trees with emamectin benzoate trunk injections, which provide two full years of systemic protection per treatment. This is the most effective EAB treatment available, with research showing 95-99% larval mortality. Treatment is cost-effective for healthy ash trees with good structure and at least 50% remaining canopy.
Our arborists will assess your ash trees and give you an honest recommendation: treat, remove, or (for already-dead specimens) prioritize removal before the tree becomes structurally dangerous. Dead ash trees become brittle within 2-3 years and are extremely hazardous to climb or fell.
Deep Root Fertilization & Soil Health
Urban and suburban trees grow in compromised soil — compacted from construction, depleted of nutrients by turf competition, and often lacking the organic matter found in forest soils. Deep root fertilization addresses these problems directly.
Soil Testing First
We collect soil samples from the root zone and send them to a lab for analysis. Results tell us the pH, nutrient levels, organic matter content, and texture. We do not guess — we formulate a custom blend based on what your soil actually needs.
Hydraulic Injection
Our hydraulic probe injects the fertilizer solution 6 to 12 inches deep on a grid pattern throughout the root zone. The high-pressure injection also fractures compacted soil, creating channels for air and water to reach roots. This dual benefit — feeding and aerating — is what makes deep root fertilization superior to surface applications.
Mycorrhizal Inoculants
In depleted urban soils, beneficial fungi that naturally partner with tree roots are often absent. We add mycorrhizal inoculants to our fertilizer blends, re-establishing these symbiotic relationships. Mycorrhizae dramatically expand a tree's effective root surface area, improving water and nutrient uptake.
Explore Arborist Services
Learn more about specific arborist services we provide.
Arborist Services FAQs
Questions about tree health, risk assessment, and disease treatment.
What is the difference between an arborist and a tree service?▾
A tree service cuts, trims, and removes trees. An arborist is a trained specialist who understands tree biology, can diagnose diseases, assess structural risk, and develop long-term care plans. Think of it like the difference between a handyman and a structural engineer. At Tree Wise Men, we are both — our crews do the physical work, and our ISA Certified Arborists direct the science behind it.
What is a TRAQ tree risk assessment?▾
TRAQ (Tree Risk Assessment Qualification) is the ISA's standardized methodology for evaluating tree risk. A TRAQ-qualified arborist inspects the tree's root zone, trunk, scaffold branches, and crown for structural defects, then rates the likelihood of failure and potential consequences. The assessment produces a written report with a risk rating and recommended mitigation — essential for insurance documentation, due diligence, and liability management.
How does deep root fertilization work?▾
We inject a liquid fertilizer solution directly into the root zone at a depth of 6 to 12 inches using a hydraulic probe. The high-pressure injection also fractures compacted soil, improving aeration and water infiltration. The fertilizer blend is customized based on soil test results — we don't guess. This approach delivers nutrients directly where roots can absorb them, unlike surface-applied granular fertilizers that mostly benefit the lawn.
Can you treat oak wilt?▾
We can treat high-value oaks preventively with propiconazole trunk injections, which protect individual trees from systemic infection. For properties where oak wilt has been confirmed, we implement root graft disruption (trenching or vibratory plowing) to sever underground root connections between trees and contain the spread. Red oaks that are already symptomatic cannot be saved, but white oaks respond to treatment if caught early.
Is it too late to treat my ash tree for emerald ash borer?▾
If your ash tree still has at least 50% of its canopy, trunk injection treatment can be effective. We use emamectin benzoate, which provides two years of protection per treatment. Ash trees with more than 50% canopy loss are generally too far gone — the cost of ongoing treatment exceeds the value, and the weakened structure makes the tree a hazard. We will give you an honest assessment.
What does a plant health care program include?▾
Our PHC programs are customized to your property, but typically include annual tree health inspections, deep root fertilization, soil amendments based on testing, preventive pest and disease treatments, and monitoring visits. We track every tree on your property over time, catching problems early when treatment is most effective and least expensive.
Talk to a Certified Arborist
Whether your tree looks sick, you need a risk assessment for insurance, or you want to start a plant health care program, our arborists are here to help. Consultations are free.