The Topping / Reduction / Pruning Thread

[Paul Barton]

Crikey, here we go again...

[Mr Ed]

nah, just cleaning up the pics thread. Its a good subject though.

[Paul Barton]

Aye. Let the battle commence!

[skyhuck]

To clarify I do top and lop,but don't call it good arb practice,I tell the customer that it will result in excesive regrowth and rot,I only do it if the customer insists.

[Marc]

To stop the picture thread getting clogged up, heres a thread for you. I will start by saying I regularly TOP trees very severely. I have my own reasons I will expound on, but you can continue your discuss here -

 

I top trees sometimes too, but thats what I call it, I don't try and say what I did was biologically good to the tree, its just that topping. Usually as a last resort for sever decay in the base or other problem, sometimes a topped tree is better than no tree.

 

I honestly do not care though, I have my prefered way and I do very very well out of it, gaining me a lot of recognition as a sympathetic arborist on better pay and now I can turn down jobs I don't want to do.

[Mr Ed]

I mainly top trees like veteran oaks, big ash, that sort of thing. My main reason is like Marc. A topped tree is better than no tree, particularly with species like oak, that support a vast micro eco system. Sometimes you have to look beyond just the health of the tree, and to the wider flora and fauna they support.

I have found that Old Oak can be topped back very hard, and grow a complete new crown, extending the life of the tree dramaticaly - particularly if there is severe structural weakness in the timber.

 

Unlike a lot of you, I do not do much domestic tree work. A lot of my work is on the edge of woodland and highways, or around utilitys. In a domestic situation, the aesthetics of your work is important to the client.

I do feel that getting people to hard reduce,pollard or top their trees is a better alternative to felling them, grinding the stump out, and completely removeing every living trace of that tree. If they were topped and maintained, our urban treescape would be much better off.

[High Scale]

I am far too educated and full of self righteousness to possible contemplate the topping of trees.

[Mr Ed]

I am far too educated and full of self righteousness to possible contemplate the topping of trees.

You forgot Narcissistic.

 

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

 

From "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders"

of the American Psychiatric Association, 4th edition, 1994,

(commonly referred to as DSM-IV.)

 

 

Narcissistic Personality Disorder: "An all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or in behaviour), need for admiration and a marked lack of empathy which starts at early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts."

 

At least 5 of the following should be present to qualify a person as suffering from NPD:

 

(1) Possesses a grandiose sense of self importance (for example: exaggerates his achievements and his talents, expects his superiority to be recognised without having the commensurate skills or achievements).

 

(2) Pre-occupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance and beauty or of ideal love.

 

(3) Believes that he is unique and special and that only high status and special people (or institutions) could understand him (or that it is only with such people and institutions that it is worth his while to be associated with).

 

(4) Demands excessive and exceptional admiration.

 

(5) Feels that he is deserving of exceptionally good treatment, automatic obeisance of his (usually unrealistic) expectations.

 

(6) Exploitative in his interpersonal relationships, uses others to achieve his goals.

 

(7) Lacks empathy: is disinterested in other people's needs and emotions and does not identify with them.

 

(8) Envies others or believes that others envy him.

 

(9) Displays arrogance and haughtiness.

[High Scale]

That reminds me of something.

[Paul Barton]

I am far too educated and full of self righteousness to possible contemplate the topping of trees.

 

I have incriminating photos to prove otherwise....