Southwest Ohio tree removal experts have rarely seen a spring as busy as that of 2011.

That winter, ice storms and wind damage downed thousands of trees in the region, sometimes causing damage to buildings and vehicles.

Despite milder weather this winter, trees still need a look this spring for disease, insect holes and other signs of trouble.

We’re in peak season for storms, with tornadoes and severe storms most likely to occur in Ohio from April through July. To help you protect your property and your trees, we asked local experts to share their advice.

“Any time a tree is downed or limbs are just hanging there, they’re called widowmakers,” said Bill Curry, manager of Ohio Valley Tree Experts. “A gust of wind could push the limb out of the tree and hit someone in the head.”

Curry said it’s important to work with professional tree experts, especially when damage is more than 25 feet high.

“Everyone wants to go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and buy a chainsaw, but it’s one of the most dangerous tools,” he said. “A tree can kick back up, kick the chain saw. And cutting the limb improperly will kill the tree.”

Professionals should also know how to work around hazards such as power and cable lines, underground utilities and fencing, be familiar with local permit regulations and be insured to cover any injuries or damage incurred.

John Gibson, who owns Gibson Tree Service, said making sure tree crews are licensed and insured has another important benefit — protecting property and finances.

“There’s a lot of fly-by-night people who’ll come in and just cut stuff and let it fall and tear up a property and you’ll never hear from them again,” he said.

Property owners can check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure their tree contractor can meet their needs.

Tree experts can also help determine whether a tree can be saved.

“If it’s a lightning strike or wind damage where the trunk is split itself, we’ll chop it out, chip up the brush and haul the wood off, or cut and stack it for the homeowner,” Curry said. But if the damage only affects a portion of the tree, it can often be dealt with by cutting limbs and reshaping them to grow away from buildings, he said.

“A lot of people look at a tree and see some dead wood and think the whole tree is diseased,” he said. “But if you cut out the dead wood and prune and thin, then let the tree grow more, 95 percent of the time it’ll come back. Everybody knows, more and more trees are dying every day. We need to preserve the ones we have.”

Contact contributing writer Ria Megnin at ria@riamegnin.com.