SPRINGFIELD -- Many Ozarkers want to help electric companies avoid outages if another ice storm occurs but they can only wait.  For some, it may be January before they can get the job done.

  The reason is no surprise: the amount of damage to trees in January was astronomical.  Now tree-trimming companies say patience and consumer know-how are the best ways to save trees.

  Since ice blanketed the Ozarks, the sound of a chainsaw is rarely out of earshot.  Nole Boyer of A and A Tree Service says his crews are rarely sitting around.  Booked solid with requests to remove branches, Boyer freely admits they're backed up.

  "We've never really come any closer than being a month behind since January,” said Boyer.

  If you're calling today, many tree services will put you at the bottom of a four- to six-week wait list.  And, while business has been good, Boyer says, for the most part, so have tempers.

  "Right after the storm was really bad, because everybody wanted to be first but, once the panic wore off, it finally came to the point where everybody became more realistic,” he said.

  They’re not always rational, however.  The Department of Natural Resources says some are providing service without proving they're legitimate.  DNR recommends asking for a Certified Arborist.

  "They're certified from ISA, which is the International Society of Arboriculture, which means they've taken a test of certification and probably have more experience,” said Paul Whitsell of DNR.

  So, while you may have to wait for licensed eyes like Boyer’s, he says your trees are worth it.

  "The common public may look at the trees and they look fine to them but, as I drive around, I'm able to see a whole lot of broken limbs still hanging in trees everywhere,” he said.

  DNR says, when you are looking to hire, you can better assure quality by asking to see proof of insurance from the company and you can get a Certified Arborist by asking if it employs a member of the ISA.