Why Topping Hurts Arborists

[Joe Newton]

I'm simply amazed that people think the arb association, ISA, other national arboricultural associations across the world, researchers, Alex Shigo and everyone since, the arboriculturists who work to write BS3998 are all wrong!

 

Who'd have thought it?

Nobody is saying they're wrong Gary. Simply that often we are bit working for the trees best interest, but the clients. Hence why I mentioned basing your decision on a trees situation.

 

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[Gary Prentice]

I take the tops out of trees all the time. Beech, Pine, etc.. Almost never is my approach close to pollarding.

 

Actually, now that I think back, I've never started pollarding.

 

It's something I'd prefer to do when cuts are 6 inches or small, and preferably more like 2 inches or less.

 

A couple of times, it was essential and saved trees.

 

Topping (over here) is a lot more than that. Internodal cuts of whatever size because the tree is too big and wants cutting in half.

[Gary Prentice]

Nobody is saying they're wrong Gary. Simply that often we are bit working for the trees best interest, but the clients. Hence why I mentioned basing your decision on a trees situation.

 

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So the trees in a situation where the landowner is uninformed and ignorant, and there's an arb willing to do it?

 

Poor tree:biggrin:

 

I keep telling myself not to respond to theses threads, but I just get reeled in after reading the same old, same old justifications:lol:

[Mesterh]

I don't think they are justifications more like facts. Yes I agree any work on trees is mainly bad for their health but we are doing the work for the good of the client, so yes it's poor old tee time.

 

People usually care more about their property, sunshine and leisure time than their tree which is their right to do. As long as they are warned about the possible dangers and the outcome of topping then i don't see a problem.

[Joe Newton]

So the trees in a situation where the landowner is uninformed and ignorant, and there's an arb willing to do it?

 

Poor tree[emoji3]

 

I keep telling myself not to respond to theses threads, but I just get reeled in after reading the same old, same old justifications[emoji38]

Possibly, or the tree in in a situation where it is occupying the majority of a small garden, close to the house, even blocking out all of the light etc etc.

 

Should the client be forced to "lump it" where a reduction or lift won't achieve what they want? Is the only option to remove?

 

Obviously mature specimens with high amenity value are different consideration.

 

As long as the client is aware that a heavy reduction will start a maintenance cycle what's the problem?

 

Its about compromise.

 

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[AA Teccie (Paul)]

My ten-penneth, please consider removal as an alternative...acknowledged not a lucrative, i.e. no need to return every few years, but it is often a viable option.

 

Cheers,

Paul

[Gary Prentice]

Don't be daft Paul, that would be good tree management. The right tree in the right place that didn't chopping all the time....

 

I wonder why arbs don't promote that?

[Mick Dempsey]

My ten-penneth, please consider removal as an alternative...acknowledged not a lucrative, i.e. no need to return every few years, but it is often a viable option.

 

Cheers,

Paul

 

Firstly the snarky comment about removal not being as lucrative. Load of crap frankly.

 

Now moving on to rest of the post. "Please consider removal as an alternative"

 

As an alternative to what? reducing/topping a tree?

 

I've worked on willows that get hat racked every 7 years without any mercy.

 

They come back great, there's no way you can just let them go in the space they're in.

 

Clients happy, I'm happy, tree's happy

 

Tippy tappy little reductions totally pointless or you'd have to do them every two weeks.

 

So what does the professional body suggest? A removal!

 

You're not in the real world Paul, and your organisation will always be on the fringes of the industry until you accept there are few absolute rights and wrongs in this game.

Edited June 9, 2017 by Mick Dempsey

[Mick Dempsey]

Don't be daft Paul, that would be good tree management. The right tree in the right place that didn't chopping all the time....

 

I wonder why arbs don't promote that?

 

Some people like a certain tree where it is, if they have to chop it back every few years, and are happy to pay for it, so what?

[skyhuck]

I can't stand people who mow their lawns, its terrible, they should either let the grass grow unhindered or dig it up and lay astroturf!!!