Forrest Tree Service

On 5--we gave [redacted] an estimate to remove a eucalyptus tree approximately feet tall that was growing along the fence on top of a foot retaining wallWhile giving her the estimate we discussed the fence and the large pine tree that was growing right next to the eucalyptus tree she stated it was very important that the pine tree was not damaged at any time did she raise any concerns in regard to the small pond under the treeA day later on 5-17-she called the office and schedule the job to be done at this time she never mentioned anything about the pondOn 5--my crew arrived to remove the eucalyptus treeI walk the job site with my lead climber and went over the work to be performed the customer was present at this time and no concerns were mentioned about the pondI told my workers to take one of our tarps and cover the pond to keep as much debris as possible out of it the customer was present at this timeWe removed the tree without incident the pond was covered With one of our tarps the entire timeAt the end of the job we remove the tarp from the pondThey're in the process of removing a tree there is a lot of sawdust flying around in the air basically like rain there is no way to control it by covering the pond with one of our tarps we can only hope to reduce the amount of Sawdust that would enter the pond and keep any larger debris outWe did the best we could to limit the amount of sawdust entering the pond considering the customer made no attempt to protect the pond and at no time during the entire process made any mention of concerns in keeping the pond clean or that she had goldfish in the pond there was no mention of the pond during the entire process from start to finishThe first I heard about the pond was during a phone call while trying to get payment she asked if we had received her email I said we had not she then proceeded to tell me about the pondI explained to her that we tried to keep the pond as clean as possibleHowever while removing a large tree we cannot control the sawdustI explained to her that if we had struck the pond with a large limb or a piece of wood or done damage to it due to negligence that we would be responsible for any damage causedI also told her that she never mentioned any concerns about the pond and the fact that when we showed up to do the job she didn't even bother to have it coveredWe made an effort to keep the pond clean by covering it with our tarpIf you have any questions or concerns please call or email me Thank you, [redacted] SecretaryForrest Tree Service Inc

I am rejecting this response for the same reasons as stated previouslyForrest Tree Service's response has added nothing new in their response [redacted] It seems that a professional Certified Arborist should know how toxic Eucalyptus shavings are in a pond (or to anything else?)[redacted] It should be part of their professional practice to protect a client's property or at the least inform the client that they can't (when estimating the job) [redacted] Evidence points toward workers dumping large amounts of toxic debris (Eucalyptus chips/shavings) in the pond upon removal of the tarp, meaning they were carelessIt boggles the mind that large chips/shavings somehow magically turned into sawdustThis is untrue, it was not just sawdust and this did not happen from small particles getting in and around the edges of a tarp that fully covered the pond.The claim that it did just cannot in anyway be supported

5/16/I contacted Forrest Tree Service, License # [redacted] , to estimate removal of a large Eucalyptus TreeThey were specifically chosen because they advertise Certified ArboristsThe tree sat on an upper ledge/plateau with a medium sized man-made pond off to one side and below it and a few feet away next to a large Pine ***, who I assumed was the Arborist, came and we talked about the tree & why it had diedI also asked about a dead limb on another tree, he recommended cutback to the trunk and we briefly talked about watering of that tree Estimate for Eucalyptus removal was $with removal of Pine branch freeStump grinding was an additional $No mention was made of any precautionary measure we should take 5/19/Workers arrived ~ amThey prepared the yard & put a tarp over the pond Work completed ~ pm/Noon, a worker asked about stump removal and says that leaving the stump would not create a problem with termites, but that we could do

I am rejecting this response because: When *** (last name) arrived to estimate tree removal on Monday 5/16/2016, we talked about the Eucalyptus being absolutely dead so there was no question it had to be removed regardless of the Pine treeI think I said ‘so there isn’t a problem just removing the Eucalyptus even though it’s leaning into the Pine Tree’ next to it, wondering if that tree would be damagedI fail to see what that has to do with the pond issue*** may have even said they would cover the pond at that timeIt’s reasonable to assume Forrest Tree Service’s job as professionals is to point out to a homeowner what is neededI am not an expert on tree removal and have never even had a tree removed beforeForrest Tree Service claims to have Certified Arborists and it appeared that was ***.This is why we hired themImmediately upon arrival of the Forrest Tree Service crew on Thurs 5/19/2016, the crew began moving any objects out of the way that they needed (ladder, etc) and preparing the area around the tree to be removedThis included covering the pond with a tarpThey covered the pond themselves without any prompting or conversation with meEvidently they already knew this was needed and had the necessary tarp and weightsI saw it was covered (standing back 15-ft) and there was no reason to think it wasn’t protected.Again, it was not merely some sawdust in the pond or even sawdust, but huge amount of chips/shavings in the pondThis could have happened because of careless removal of the tarp, it does not seem plausible that this occurred while the tarp was covering the pondI did not notice the damage until after the crew left and no one pointed it outThe entire top of the water was covered in chips/shavings and many waterlogged sank into the pond.While the water, fish and plants have been replaced in the pond, new plants do not provide as much cover and loss of the vine at the back has made it necessary to install a fairly unattractive makeshift cover for the top of the pond to shade it from heat and prevent so much water evaporation.Per calling to pay..* I do not remember seeing *** at the end of the jobA crew member came up to me when they were finished on Thurs, but said he couldn’t accept a credit card* I immediately called their office but it was a recording* I then noticed the damage and spent the entire day, until dark working on the pond* I finished the pond on Sunday 5/22/and got the specifics together by Monday evening when I sent an email to Forrest Tree Service with picturesThat task alone took considerable time.* *** called the next morning, Tues, asking about paymentI asked if he saw the email and he immediately started in defensive mode about the issues I outlinedSo, yes, I believe he read the email or was told about it.* I paid Forrest Tree Service that same day via phone.This response is unacceptableIt is not even signed with the name of the employee *** (last name) writing or narrating it Our claim for damages remains the same

To whom it may concern I am writing in response to the complaint filed against usI *** *** a representative of Forrest Service Incorporated and rejecting the fact that my original response was rejected on the basis that Forrest Tree Service Incorporated did everything reasonably possible to ensure that there was no damage to the complainant's property including but not only the pondAt no time during the removal of the tree was there any negligence buy Forrest Tree Service Incorporated employees which cause damage do anything on the customer's propertyIn fact we went above and beyond to ensure the pond would remain clean when we saw that the customer had made no effort to do so therefore I believe we are not responsible for the complaints raised by the customer

I have attached the only paperwork given to me by Forrest Tree Service title 'Invoice' with the Job No *** for your Contract requestThe photos attached showEucalyptus Tree Pond - (1).jpg Pond as it looked before the Eucalyptus tree was removedShows back vine and floating water plant raftAlso show that there is a wide, flat concrete surface on top edge of pond to secure tarp 2. Eucalyptus Tree Pond - 3.jpg Pond as I started cleaning it out, the pump clogged because of the Eucalyptus debris/chips/Shavings so I had to bucket the water outShown also in the photo is the large floating water plant raftIt had to be discarded because it could not be cleaned of the shavingsSome of Eucalyptus debris/chips/Shavings, but not all, shown on ground Eucalyptus Tree Pond - 1.jpg - Some of the Pond Fish I had netted out of the pond, some already dead, taken on Thurs Afternoon about 1-hours after the crew from Forrest left, almost all ended ended up dying

5/16/I contacted Forrest Tree Service, License # ***, to estimate removal of a large Eucalyptus TreeThey were specifically chosen because they advertise Certified ArboristsThe tree sat on an upper ledge/plateau with a medium sized man-made pond off to one side and below it and a few feet away next to a large Pine
***, who I assumed was the Arborist, came and we talked about the tree & why it had diedI also asked about a dead limb on another tree, he recommended cutback to the trunk and we briefly talked about watering of that tree
Estimate for Eucalyptus removal was $with removal of Pine branch freeStump grinding was an additional $No mention was made of any precautionary measure we should take
5/19/Workers arrived ~ amThey prepared the yard & put a tarp over the pond
Work completed ~ pm/Noon, a worker asked about stump removal and says that leaving the stump would not create a problem with termites, but that we could do

On 5-16 -16 we gave [redacted] an estimate to remove a eucalyptus tree approximately 60 feet tall that was growing along the fence on top of a 4 foot retaining wall. While giving her the estimate we discussed the fence and the large pine tree that was growing right next to the eucalyptus tree she...

stated it was very important that the pine tree was not damaged at any time did she raise any concerns in regard to the small pond under the tree. A day later on 5-17-16 she called the office and schedule the job to be done at this time she never mentioned anything about the pond. On 5-19 -16 my crew arrived to remove the eucalyptus tree. I walk the job site with my lead climber and went over the work to be performed the customer was present at this time and no concerns were mentioned about the pond. I told my workers to take one of our tarps and cover the pond to keep as much debris as possible out of it the customer was present at this time. We removed the tree without incident the pond was covered With one of our tarps the entire time. At the end of the job we remove the tarp from the pond. They're in the process of removing a tree there is a lot of sawdust flying around in the air basically like rain there is no way to control it by covering the pond with one of our tarps we can only hope to reduce the amount of Sawdust that would enter the pond and keep any larger debris out. We did the best we could to limit the amount of sawdust entering the pond considering the customer made no attempt to protect the pond and at no time during the entire process made any mention of concerns in keeping the pond clean or that she had goldfish in the pond there was no mention of the pond during the entire process from start to finish. The first I heard about the pond was during a phone call while trying to get payment she asked if we had received her email I said we had not she then proceeded to tell me about the pond. I explained to her that we tried to keep the pond as clean as possible. However while removing a large tree we cannot control the sawdust. I explained to her that if we had struck the pond with a large limb or a piece of wood or done damage to it due to negligence that we would be responsible for any damage caused. I also told her that she never mentioned any concerns about the pond and the fact that when we showed up to do the job she didn't even bother to have it covered. We made an effort to keep the pond clean by covering it with our tarp. If you have any questions or concerns please call or email me.  Thank you,     [redacted]SecretaryForrest Tree Service Inc.

I am rejecting this response for the same reasons as stated previously. Forrest Tree Service's response has added nothing new in their response. * It seems that a professional Certified Arborist should know how toxic Eucalyptus shavings are in a pond (or to anything else?).* It should be part of their professional practice to protect a client's property or at the least inform the client that they can't (when estimating the job). * Evidence points toward workers dumping large amounts of toxic debris (Eucalyptus chips/shavings) in the pond upon removal of the tarp, meaning they were careless. It boggles the mind that large chips/shavings somehow magically turned into sawdust. This is untrue, it was not just sawdust and this did not happen from small particles getting in and around the edges of a tarp that fully covered the pond.The claim that it did just cannot in anyway be supported.

Review: 5/16/16 I contacted Forrest Tree Service, License # [redacted], to estimate removal of a large Eucalyptus Tree. They were specifically chosen because they advertise Certified Arborists. The tree sat on an upper ledge/plateau with a medium sized man-made pond off to one side and below it and a few feet away next to a large Pine .

[redacted], who I assumed was the Arborist, came and we talked about the tree & why it had died. I also asked about a dead limb on another tree, he recommended cutback to the trunk and we briefly talked about watering of that tree.

Estimate for Eucalyptus removal was $1475 with removal of Pine branch free. Stump grinding was an additional $200. No mention was made of any precautionary measure we should take.

5/19/16 Workers arrived ~ 9 am. They prepared the yard & put a tarp over the pond.

Work completed ~ 12 pm/Noon, a worker asked about stump removal and says that leaving the stump would not create a problem with termites, but that we could douse it with [redacted] to speed decomposition (surprised at this, it is toxic to earthworms and other beneficial organisms). The limb in front was not removed.

When I went to pay was told I had to call the office for credit card. I called their office 12:03 pm, went to voicemail. Shortly after calling, I realized the workers had dropped a huge amount of Eucalyptus shavings in our pond. The workers had the pond covered when I looked early on, but it must not have been completely covered and/or shavings fell in when they removed the cover. I tried for a couple of hours to clean the shavings from the pond, but then fish started dying. I then worked to rehome the fish in clean water and subsequently realized the pond had to be completely drained. I had to bucket out the water, then cleaned and restock with new plants - the shavings were too embedded in the large floating pond plant island and pond algae to extract them.

The sheer amount of shavings could not have occurred by them just getting under the tarp. The entire surface of t5/16/16 I contacted Forrest Tree Service, License # [redacted], to estimate removal of a large Eucalyptus Tree. They were specifically chosen because they advertise Certified Arborists. The tree sat on an upper ledge/plateau with a medium sized man-made pond off to one side and below it and a few feet away next to a large Pine .

[redacted], who I assumed was the Arborist, came and we talked about the tree & why it had died. I also asked about a dead limb on another tree, he recommended cutback to the trunk and we briefly talked about watering of that tree.

Estimate for Eucalyptus removal was $1475 with removal of Pine branch free. Stump grinding was an additional $200. No mention was made of any precautionary measure we should take.

5/19/16 Workers arrived ~ 9 am. They prepared the yard & put a tarp over the pond.

Work completed ~ 12 pm/Noon, a worker asked about stump removal and says that leaving the stump would not create a problem with termites, but that we could douse it with [redacted] to speed decomposition (surprised at this, it is toxic to earthworms and other beneficial organisms). The limb in front was not removed.

When I went to pay was told I had to call the office for credit card. I called their office 12:03 pm, went to voicemail. Shortly after calling, I realized the workers had dropped a huge amount of Eucalyptus shavings in our pond. The workers had the pond covered when I looked early on, but it must not have been completely covered and/or shavings fell in when they removed the cover. I tried for a couple of hours to clean the shavings from the pond, but then fish started dying. I then worked to rehome the fish in clean water and subsequently realized the pond had to be completely drained. I had to bucket out the water, then cleaned and restock with new plants - the shavings were too embedded in the large floating pond plant island and pond algae to extract them.

The sheer amount of shavings could not have occurred by them just getting under the tarp. The entire surface of the pond was nearly covered in shavings (aside from any sawdust or other particulate) and probably two times that many had already sunk into the pond. I worked from Noon until dark that day, most of the next day and several hours on the weekend.

5/24/16 A woman called and left a message about payment. I did not get the message until late so I sent an email about 7 pm explaining the damage, detailing some of the time and money spent and included 14 pictures documenting the process of cleaning up the damage over 3-4 days.

5/25/16 [redacted], called me about 8:20 am about payment not mentioning the damage I had outlined. I had to ask if he had read my email about my complaint. He knew about it and immediately started claiming it was not their fault because there is now way they could have prevented the ‘sawdust’ in the pond (although my email referred to large amounts of shavings, “workers had dropped a ton of Eucalyptus shavings in our pond”) and that I ‘should have known’ about the danger. [redacted] became increasingly aggressive and angry even calling me ‘ridiculous’. Finally, he offered to reduce the price by $75 but said that was it and that they had given us a good price already. I told him I would get back with them, a bit shaken really. His phone call was very upsetting.

1500 is at the very high end of tree removal for a tree that size. I was willing to pay more for a company that had Certified Arborists. At the time my concern was more for the tree and the large Pine next to it. I would think a Certified Arborist should know that Eucalyptus shavings would be toxic to fish/pond life being trained in and knowledgable about Arboriculture. At the least, I am not sure why we were not warned if there was no way they could have protected our pond as [redacted] claimed. I can see it possible to get some amounts of sawdust around, but the problem was extensive small shavings andDesired Settlement: At this time, I am requesting $389.19 be refunded. I am basically a Senior Citizen with documented back problems and Fibromyalgia did not appreciate having to do this work nor be called ‘ridiculous’ when I outlined my concerns.

Time/Costs/Damage

Time (includes initial cleaning attempts/straining, moving fish, bucketing water, removing vines, cleaning pond and refilling, procuring and planting new water plants, driving to Loomis)

16 hrs @ $15 an hour = $240

Damage (dead fish, large aquatic floating plant island)

Worth is $85

Costs (water usage, mileage, aquatic plants, aquatic planter)

Water Usage $20 + Mileage Loomis $12 + Golden Pond Purchase Loomis $32.19

Business

Response:

On 5-16 -16 we gave [redacted] an estimate to remove a eucalyptus tree approximately 60 feet tall that was growing along the fence on top of a 4 foot retaining wall. While giving her the estimate we discussed the fence and the large pine tree that was growing right next to the eucalyptus tree she stated it was very important that the pine tree was not damaged at any time did she raise any concerns in regard to the small pond under the tree. A day later on 5-17-16 she called the office and schedule the job to be done at this time she never mentioned anything about the pond. On 5-19 -16 my crew arrived to remove the eucalyptus tree. I walk the job site with my lead climber and went over the work to be performed the customer was present at this time and no concerns were mentioned about the pond. I told my workers to take one of our tarps and cover the pond to keep as much debris as possible out of it the customer was present at this time. We removed the tree without incident the pond was covered With one of our tarps the entire time. At the end of the job we remove the tarp from the pond. They're in the process of removing a tree there is a lot of sawdust flying around in the air basically like rain there is no way to control it by covering the pond with one of our tarps we can only hope to reduce the amount of Sawdust that would enter the pond and keep any larger debris out. We did the best we could to limit the amount of sawdust entering the pond considering the customer made no attempt to protect the pond and at no time during the entire process made any mention of concerns in keeping the pond clean or that she had goldfish in the pond there was no mention of the pond during the entire process from start to finish. The first I heard about the pond was during a phone call while trying to get payment she asked if we had received her email I said we had not she then proceeded to tell me about the pond. I explained to her that we tried to keep the pond as clean as possible. However while removing a large tree we cannot control the sawdust. I explained to her that if we had struck the pond with a large limb or a piece of wood or done damage to it due to negligence that we would be responsible for any damage caused. I also told her that she never mentioned any concerns about the pond and the fact that when we showed up to do the job she didn't even bother to have it covered. We made an effort to keep the pond clean by covering it with our tarp. If you have any questions or concerns please call or email me. Thank you, [redacted]

At first, we ran into a little hiccup with a misplaced quote, but after that was resolved, I quickly got a service scheduled within 2 days. Forrest Tress Service arrived promptly, and did a great job trimming my 30/40-foot palm trees, removing just the right amount of dead palm leaves, and leaving behind just the right amount of green leaves. Not the cheapest, not the most expensive, right in the middle...And a job well done. I'll be using them for my other properties.