Pollards, are they out of vogue in the UK?

[Chris at eden]

You talk about the health of the tree, pollarded trees can, and do, live longer than "untouched" trees.

I'm not suggesting all trees should be pollarded.

Just that as a default method of managing certain species in towns it's fallen out of fashion with many people in the tree game. Often for the wrong reasons. Like for instance your assertion that it damages the trees health.

 

Good post.

 

When I did my L6 a couple of years ago we had to write pruning specs for a number of operations and then critically evaluate. Dave Dowson commented later that across all of his groups there was a real lack of understanding of pollarding with modern arbs. One of the big issues that was identified was that the production of pollard heads and regular cutting actually reduced the risk of decay and extended longevity due to the high levels of phenols contained in the parenchyma cells that make up pollard heads. People knew this but still commented that cutting could introduce decay, couldn't help themselves, me included. People still cant help relating them to the topped LA street scene. How many street trees do you see in the UK looking like those in your first photo? Not many.

[Chris at eden]

same thing, reducing sail effect can include overall height and width reduction. if you reduce the height and width of a tree without thinning the inner branches, it becomes topping. thinning may be removal of smaller brachwork in the heart of a tree, or larger branches, i.e. reduction by thinning.

 

Not according to 3998!

[Chris at eden]

Ah, when we thin, we often prioritise the branches which extend the furthest.

Serves a dual purpose.

Ty

 

You mean like RVT?

[Chris at eden]

Some nice looking ones in Hamburg last month

 

Very nice.

[Chris at eden]

Great thread. Sorry for jumping in late with the comments. I'm off to France tomorrow so I'll get some pics and post if I see anything interesting.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Good post.

 

 

 

When I did my L6 a couple of years ago we had to write pruning specs for a number of operations and then critically evaluate. Dave Dowson commented later that across all of his groups there was a real lack of understanding of pollarding with modern arbs.

 

 

👍🏻👍🏻

 

Keep those insights coming Chris!!

[benedmonds]

The issue is that we generally use the term pollarding when lopping or topping mature trees. True pollarding definitely has its place and even lopping/topping can be pretty successful in certain circumstances. Willows for example..

 

From BS 3998.

 

7.10 Pollarding

If pollarding is to be carried out, it should preferably start soon after

the tree has become established and is between 25 mm to 50 mm in

diameter at the selected height of pollarding (often 2 m to 3 m). The

initial pollarding cut should be made at a height which reflects site

usage but which, if possible, allows some of the pre-existing foliage

to be retained, in order to maintain physiological function and thus

reduce the probability of dieback or death.

If the tree divides into a number of stems or branches below a height

of 3 m, these should be individually cut so as to initiate a “candelabra”

framework.

If the stem has attained a diameter of more than 50 mm, but less than

about 200 mm at 2 m to 3 m height, pollarding may still be initiated.

The tree should be cut at or near the same height as a younger tree,

but extra care should be taken to retain some existing branches. Larger

trees should not normally be treated in this way (see Annex C for severe

cutting for special purposes).

Once initiated, a pollard should be maintained by cutting the new

branches on a cyclical basis. The frequency of the cycle should be decided

according to site management objectives, species, age, condition and/or

any product that might be required. Selective cutting, whereby some of

the pollard branches are retained within each cycle, should be chosen if

this would help to prevent dieback and decay in the stem.

Branches that grow after pollarding should normally be cut at their

bases in order to encourage the formation of a knuckle after a number

of cycles. If, however, the pollard cycle has been allowed to lapse over

many years, the crown should instead be reduced (see 7.7) to the

minimum necessary to fulfil current objectives. These could include the

relief of any mechanical stress that would otherwise be likely to cause

the stem to split apart.

 

Even if the stress on an old pollard branch is severe, it should not be

cut back to the knuckle, since the removal of all its attached foliage

would probably lead to physiological dysfunction and decay. It should

instead be shortened by cutting just above a suitable lateral branch

[see Figure 2, R©], or failing that, by retaining a live stub from which

new shoots could grow.

If crown reduction would be insufficient to safeguard those branches

that are most likely to fail, they may be reduced to stubs in one

operation (a “pole thin”), while the remaining branches are shortened

so as to retain enough of the leaf-bearing twig structure to sustain

the tree.

NOTE Retention of live stubs on lapsed pollards will often help to reduce

the risk of serious dysfunction and hence decay and weakness developing

below the knuckles.

Cuts should be made below the knuckles only in exceptional

circumstances, e.g. to prevent catastrophic failure.

[kev7937]

You mean like RVT?

 

 

RVT ? Reduction via thinning ?

[Aunt Maud]

If you want to initiate pollarding on a maiden Oak or Beech, you'll have a better chance of success if you choose one with epicormic growth rather than one with a clean stem, and cut the leader above the third branch.

 

Also these two species won't tolerate the removal of all the branches at the time of pollarding and there's a good chance you'll kill it if you do.

 

The reason pollarding has died out is because we don't cut for a crop of poles, firewood or charcoal timber any more. Maybe you could start a pollarding renaissance if you've got some suitable trees in your woodlot.

[Mick Dempsey]

Great thread. Sorry for jumping in late with the comments. I'm off to France tomorrow so I'll get some pics and post if I see anything interesting.

 

No apologies needed, thanks for the science stuff, look forward to pics.