My first boss taught me to listen for hollow sounds in trunks with a mallet (simple but effective).

Hannah Young · 2026-03-02T09:41:10.000641+00:00

I remember when assessing a tree's stability was mostly about experience and a few trusty tools. Now, with all the new gadgets (some of which I can't even pronounce), it feels like we're losing touch with the basics. How do you balance old-school knowledge with all this new tech?

the_blair7mo ago

Totally get that, it's a weird spot to be in. The mallet trick still feels more real than some screen readout lol. I try to use the new stuff as a backup check for what my gut says.

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kevin_lee757mo ago

Yeah I used to think all that tech was weird but it actually helps a ton.

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kevin_carr7mo ago

Nah, hold up. That mallet trick misses stuff all the time. You get internal decay it doesn't even touch. New tech like ground-penetrating radar spots root rot you'd never hear. A resistance drill gives you a real picture of trunk integrity, not just a thunk sound. Clinging to just the old ways means missing problems early. Gotta use every tool that works, or you're just guessing.

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