Denver’s trees are a bit fragile this time of year and Denver Parks and Recreation wants you to know that the first snow of the season can damage them.

It’s pretty simple. Snow is heavy, and the concentrated moisture weighs trees down. So if you want that sapling to have a better chance or if you want to avoid broken branches, try to remove that snow before it melts.

Heres what the people paid to be tree huggers say about removing snow:

• Watch out for branches breaking and falling when knocking off the white stuff.
• Don’t attempt to shake snow off of a tree if a utility line is going through its branches or if one is too close for comfort because, you know, electrocution.
• “If the tree is clear of utility lines, use a broom to remove as much snow as possible from branches by brushing off or gently shaking,” the department says.
• Don’t try to climb the tree piled with snow. Just don’t.

You can visit the city’s forestry website for a list of licensed, insured contractors to care for trees if you need help, particularly if you need large branches removed.