I don't think that handy bit of knowledge has made it into the 'how to make a tree swing' manual yet but it really ought to. Also should be in 'proper care of your tree swing' over the years and the periodic inspection.
It's already pretty common knowledge for tree care in general, there's nothing specific about this for swings. Already ever major town or city around the country has an arborist or team of arborists to make sure trees don't randomly fall on people and kill them, and the way they do that is by using either this test or else just manually coring the tree by cutting out a tiny section to check for rot.
If you as an individual want to own trees, and especially if you want to let others use your property, I don't see any reason why you should be held to a lesser standard of care than any municipality across the country. If you can't afford to keep your trees safe then you can't afford the trees and/or the property.
But yeah, this definitely isn't anything beyond what you'd learn in a plant pathology 101 class in college or a basic arborist certification.
> If you can't afford to keep your trees safe then you can't afford the trees and/or the property.
1. Handling it like that might mean more cut down trees, which is probably not something the town/city has an interest in. (Maybe they should send professionals to check out all the trees?)
2. Properties can change hands much quicker than cut down trees can be regrown.
If the tree is dead or rotting then it is better to cut it down. If you're unsure of the status of a tree, you should be cautious around it until it has been tested. Basically don't climb it or put a swing on it.
I am not sure what the point of point 2 is, when you have point 1. You don't really have to cut down all the untested trees on your property, but if you're not doing testing/maintenance on the trees for ANY reason(ignorance, cost), don't be surprised when one kills someone and you're held liable for it. You should consider this before buying a property with trees. It's similar to owning a dog. If you own a dog, and it runs out and bites someone, you will likely be held liable, and the dog will likely be put down. If the dog tests positive for rabies before even biting anyone, it will be put down, similar to a dead tree being cut down.
Have you ever owned or lived in a home with trees? Ensuring that your trees are healthy is pretty standard for homeownership. Otherwise sooner or later you'll have to deal with a fallen limb on your (or your neighbor's) house or car. It's a lot easier to sleep in the middle of a snowstorm knowing that the tree overlooking your bedroom isn't going anywhere.
