Topped Cypress Tree (Original Tree approximately 8’ taller in Height)Location: Public Right-of-Way, Vizcaino 3 S.W. Mountain View Avenue
Owners of Residence: Robert & Hong Hai Dubroff
CASE STUDY:
On Saturday, May 17, 2008, the Cypress tree in the public right-of-way at Vizcaino 3 S.W. Mountain View Av. was topped, pruned and thinned by Miguel Escobedo Landscape Service of Seaside, CA. Apparently, Miguel Escobedo does not have a current City of Carmel-by-the-Sea business license for tree services. Moreover, Escobedo failed to file an application for a permit consistent with Carmel Municipal Code 17.48.060, Permit Applications, according to the City.
LITERATURE ON TOPPING OF TREES:
What is Tree Topping?
Tree topping is the drastic removal, or cutting back, of large branches in mature trees, leaving large, open wounds which subject the tree to disease and decay. Topping causes immediate injury to the tree and ultimately results in early failure or death of the tree.
Other names for this malpractice include stubbing, heading, heading-back, stubbing-off, tipping hatracking, topping off, dehorning, lopping, or roundover.
In short, topping - by any name - is the worst thing to do to the health of a tree.
Truth: Topping immediately decreases the health of a tree and sends it on a downward spiral.
Reasons:
1. Decay starts when a tree is topped. Even strongly angled cuts never close completely.
2. Sunscald, the effect of prolonged bright sun heating a tree’s trunk after it has been topped, kills tissue just below the bark directly or when freezing temperatures follow, causing that portion of the trunk to die.
3. Food production loss from the absence of its crown greatly a tree’s ability to channel nourishment to the woody parts - the stem and root system.
4. Excess resprouting occurs as the result of loss of branches, the tree forming very thick and ugly sprouting almost overnight.
5. Disease and insect attack follows on the heels of resprouting, sunscald and food production loss as a tree’s physiological system is altered and disease resistance lowered.
6. Root weakening and decay result from the loss of food resources once produced in the part of the crown that was removed.
7. Shortened life span or death of a tree is the eventual result of topping. Some trees will not tolerate topping and may quickly die. All other survivors will have reduced life spans.
Why Topping Hurts Trees
Don't Top Trees!
What is Topping? Problems Caused by Topping
"The Myth of Tree Topping", Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association B&B Newsletter, Sept. 2003
Topping vs. Pruning
Topping
• Branches are shortened, leaving stubbed-off branch ends.
• Sprouting occurs near the ends of cut branches. Branches quickly grow back, only thicker.
• Regrowth is weakly attached and breaks easily in storms.
• Can cause dead branch stubs. Maximizes chances for future decay inside branches and trunk.
• Tree quickly regains original size, but with weak branches.
• Especially destructive if applied to entire tree.
• Produces whole population of weak, unhealthy trees over time.
Recommended Pruning
• Whole branches growing in undesirable directions are removed.
• Only offending branches are removed.
• Future storm damage is minimized.
• Tree can grow over pruning wounds. Chances for decay are minimized.
• Tends to lengthen time needed between prunings.
• Works with natural growth habit of tree.
• Encourages trees to grow safe and sound.
2 comments:
These are excellent references on tree topping. Also the topping vs. pruning is a good juxtaposition. For a Tree City USA the city has a lot of work to do in educating Carmelites about our trees. This is bad enough if it were on private property, but on public property, it is horrendous. Needless to say, you do not top trees anywhere, anytime.
Was Mike Branson asleep when Barry Coate lectured about trees and pruning, etc? Why does the city spend taxpayer money for a professional arborist to talk about trees when the city's own forester doesn't perform as he should know how to perform?
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