Tree care is a constantly evolving field. In the course of the 1980s there was a change from traditional tree surgery, with its heavy-duty interventions such as milling-out rotten areas, trimming the edges of wounds or applying wound closure agents, to present-day modern tree biology, inspired by Alex Shigo. Without a doubt, however, this is not the end of the development, so today the creation of habitats for animals and insects in urban areas is becoming more and more important and research into how trees deal with damaged areas and defects is constantly bringing new insights to light. We want to be part of this development and implement it in our daily work. An example of this is the Robinia in the church garden of the Martinskirche in Basel. This imposing ark tree was falling apart to such an extent that in the past it would have probably simply been removed. It was important to us to preserve this tree in co-operation with the customer. The height and the lateral projection were severely reduced, standing deadwood was secured in the tree to ensure traffic safety and the tree was also treated with compost tea. The result is a vital tree that offers diverse living and nesting space for a wide range of animals and insects, represents an aesthetic value and at the same time is safe.
