Tree Trimming Practices
To provide you with consistent, reliable electrical service – rain or shine – JEA studies tree growth in Jacksonville. Our tree maintenance procedures are performed by professional trimming contractors using proper arboricultural methods that are best for the long-term health of the tree.
JEA will soon be in your area performing routine tree trimming as we work to ensure our facilities, our electric systems, and our community are prepared for whatever Mother Nature sends our way. We know that tree trimming today helps maintain your power tomorrow.
JEA has invested millions of dollars in hardening our electric systems to make them more resistant to storm-related disruptions. While strong winds and heavy rains cause their share of storm damage, most storm-related power outages result from tree branches falling on power lines. This makes sections of our city - those with the most mature trees - more susceptible to service interruptions during a major storm.
We proudly follow strict national standards for tree care operations:
Our goal is to balance a tree's health with safety and electric reliability. We maintain records on the number of outages along circuits and compare that information to our trimming schedule. We schedule routine cycle trimming every 2 1/2 years and we target new growth approaching JEA lines (the line at the top of most utility poles). A 10-foot clearance is maintained around 26,000, 13,200 and 4,000 volt primary lines and hazardous branches are removed when necessary. Crews also receive additional training on how to maintain sensitive tree canopies when working in historical districts in Jacksonville. In some cases, we will remove a hazardous tree that is interfering with power lines.
JEA will notify you in advance of any tree removals near your home or business so that you can contact one of our certified foresters or arborists with any questions or concerns you may have.
The map below depicts the general area where you can expect to see our contractor crews and arborists in the Riverside and Avondale neighborhoods in the coming weeks.
Free Mulch
As a service to the community, we offer the chips from the trimmings as mulch to our customers. Please call ahead to schedule a mulch delivery.
Contact our certified arborists and professional foresters about JEA's tree trimming procedures:
Tree Trimming Methods
V-Cut Trimming: The center branches are removed to allow the power line to pass above and through.
Side Trimming: The tree growth is steered away from the power line by removing branches on just one side.
Crown Reduction: When neither of the first two methods above will work, trimming the tree from its top may be an option.
We also use Directional Pruning when possible. This “trains” trees to grow away from power lines by using:
- Reduction cuts (above left) to shorten the length of a stem by pruning back to a smaller limb.
- Removal cuts (above right) to prune a branch back to the trunk or parent branch.
- Prudent pruning practices may result in clearances that are not exactly 10 feet.
Distribution Lines: You can easily identify primary and seconday distributions lines with this illustration. Anything below the primary and secondary lines are CATV/phone lines.