Lightning Protection for Trees in Sarasota & Manatee County

Why protect a tree from lightning?

Because you cannot replace a hundred-year-old oak. Florida sees more lightning activity than almost anywhere in the United States, and tall, mature trees, especially isolated ones and those near water, are natural targets. A strike can kill a tree outright or wound it into slow decline, and a struck tree beside your home is also a falling hazard. For a signature tree, protection costs a fraction of what losing it does.

How does a tree lightning protection system work?

Copper conductors are installed from the upper crown down the trunk to ground rods beyond the root zone, giving a strike a controlled path to earth instead of through the tree's living tissue. Installed correctly, the system is unobtrusive, does not harm the tree, and is inspected periodically as the tree grows.

Which trees are worth protecting?

Mature, healthy, high-value trees: the live oak that shades the whole backyard, the specimen tree the landscape was designed around, historic trees, and tall trees standing close to the house. An arborist-guided assessment will tell you honestly whether your tree is a sensible candidate.

Frequently asked questions