topping trees

climbhightree said:
Because I do a good job...I'm currently booked to May. So I'm glad my customers don't receive storm damage, and I can stay on schedule.

__________________________
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"Kiss My Axe"
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Owner/operator of Climb High Tree Service established in 2002
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How bout you do an amazing job?
It's hard to be humble right?
 
yeah that thing popped pretty good man. i usually strip all the brush off before topping, but leaving all that brush on seems like it kept the stem from jumping even more than it did.
 
TreeBoi4Life said:
Check this out guys! Topping a leaning pine tree.

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Yo, be careful on big cuts like that...especially on leaners.

Be sides a potential barber chair...you should be worried about, what I think they call the circle of death. Imagine if the tree split below your cut...like a reverse barber chair. You need to not have your lanyard just around the tree, if the tree splits, you are smooshed out of your saddle. Heard some where the climbers legs were still in saddle up in tree, guts strung all the way to the ground with the torso on the ground. Set up your lanyard so that can not happen, and make sure your climbing line will allow you to get down quick, imagine bees attacking out of no where.

Your saw did not cut quick enough, that's why there was so much wood left. Not all wood snaps like white pine. If the wood is thick enough some like a bore cut, I do not. I prefer a big sharp saw, so the holding wood is just about completely cut by the time the notch closes. Smooth let go.

Be safe!

Thanks for the vid!
 
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frashdog said:
...but if is super interesting to see all the failures.
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Like an elm tree you've watched for years... dead wood, widow-makers hanging all over the place, good sized limbs hanging by a few fibers... then the big ice storm hits, and the next day the only really healthy, strong looking stem on the whole tree is snapped off and all that clutter hanging by a thread is still swinging in the wind. Go figure.
 
2008. topping: Reduction of tree size using internodal cuts without regard to tree health or structural integrity. Topping is not an acceptable pruning practice.

2015 (proposed). topping: Excessive reduction of tree size by cutting live branches and leaders to stubs, without regard to long-term tree health or structural integrity. Topping is not an acceptable practice.
9.56 stub: Portion of a branch or stem remaining after an internodal cut or branch breakage.

So there's the committee's DRAFT revision of the definition of topping. If anyone knows what "Excessive" means, please tell the rest of us. See http://tcia.org/files/A300Part1-Pruning-D1V1-20151109.pdf for more legalese, punctuated with unusable terms like "excessive" and "appropriate".
An interesting exercise is to highlight the SHALL 'requirements'.

For actual guidance, wait 2 years until the bmp comes out, or look to other sources.
 
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guymayor said:
2008. topping: Reduction of tree size using internodal cuts without regard to tree health or structural integrity. Topping is not an acceptable pruning practice.

2015 (proposed). topping: Excessive reduction of tree size by cutting live branches and leaders to stubs, without regard to long-term tree health or structural integrity. Topping is not an acceptable practice.
9.56 stub: Portion of a branch or stem remaining after an internodal cut or branch breakage.

So there's the committee's DRAFT revision of the definition of topping. If anyone knows what "Excessive" means, please tell the rest of us. See http://tcia.org/files/A300Part1-Pruning-D1V1-20151109.pdf for more legalese, punctuated with unusable terms like "excessive" and "appropriate".
An interesting exercise is to highlight the SHALL 'requirements'.

For actual guidance, wait 2 years until the bmp comes out, or look to other sources.
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Pretty wishy washy to me.

Ok maybe that tree I "topped" was a bit excessive, but...
What if it was done with regard to long term health.
 
Hoowasat said:
Of the tree or other object(s) and/or living organisms or the relationship(s) among them?
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The answer to that IMO is highly subjective...
I kinda think the only thing that is legit in the debate about topping trees is bad...is the fact (opinion?)that some (maybe most) think it looks bad. Which is nothing less then subjective.
Ohhhh, topping is taboo...like face tattoos and piercings.

Nature has been topping trees for quite some time now. Everyone seems to be ok with it for the most part...I think clear cutting rain forests is bad...for everyone and everything living on our planet.

Mind you, I never said topping is good. Even though it might be in certain situations.
 
CutHighnLetFly said:
Frash, im not into doing storm work, but i hope one day i can have such an experience like you had in your original post, theres so much to learn from experiences like that.
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Yo Andre how long you been doing trees? .. I read your posts ,there's no doubt your a good arborist and have the right attitude in my opinion of what a grest arb should look for,.you'll be a treevet someday:)
 
IMHO, its learning the science behind the shalls and shoulds to understand when it may be the right approach. The more you know of the way a tree functions and responds the better decisions you can make and the better you can convey that knowledge to your clients.
 
Daniel said:
I like reducing the length of long heavy over reaching laterals on mature.
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I remove lower limbs which have started growing downwards trying to reach sunlight. I would tend to think that reducing their length would seal their demise if the canopy restricts sun exposure. The bulk of the deadwood I encounter are those limbs which were deprived abundant daylight.
 
Hoowasat said:
I remove lower limbs which have started growing downwards trying to reach sunlight. I would tend to think that reducing their length would seal their demise if the canopy restricts sun exposure. .
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That's why it's standard practice to prune the next limb up, to get the lower limb some sun. If the cut size would be >4" then other options should be considered imo.
 
guymayor said:
That's why it's standard practice to prune the next limb up, to get the lower limb some sun. If the cut size would be >4" then other options should be considered imo.
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Exactly Guy. The details are so important. Like was stated earlier too about the shoulds and shalls. (Treehumper). Removing lower branches to main stems is rarely necessary, especially when that would require a cut over 2-3 inches. Also this shortening of the limbs in the upper, outer canopy supports a more triangular structure. Triangulation of shape is an approach we need to look at more as a basic generalization towards better structure. Look at oak vs elm. Steady vs racing. Look at Daniels great video which talks about how raising should be done sensitively. Raising is for people not for trees. But yes there is the odd time a dying, small, lower branch can be removed. I love this thread and got tons to say. More later.



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