southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
[ QUOTE ]
I think it's the ice factor. Aside from removal, topping is the only treatment that will guarantee no limb failure during heavy ice loads. These people have lived through some major ice events and have seen the aftermath - the topped trees still look just like they did before, while the untouched trees are mangled beyond recognition and laying on everyone's cars and houses. And it's cheaper too, but even the least caring home owner should recognize the need for PPE.
[/ QUOTE ]
I can see people getting the idea that topping will save their trees. When a tornado hit So. IL last summer, the previously topped trees stood (in a very ugly state), while badly included trees split everywhere, some trees uprooted leveling some houses, damaged trees and houses were everywhere.
In a time of crisis, people see what they see and figure that topping is the way to go. Unless they can see the damage of topping, with decay, disease, splitting, etc, then they go with their limited observations at the whole truth.
Perhaps topping does have the least amount of property damage during storms. What is the overall picture? Maintenance topping costs, damage from falling epicormic limbs, costs for clean up of falling epicormic limbs (widowmaker removal, too), etc.
What is a viable solution for ice storm belts?
So often people talk about a 15 year ago ice storm that hit Olympia and other areas nearby. Its burned into people's brains (or is that frozen).
Would crown reductions help? Cyclical removal and replacement of trees where the obstacle can't be moved (buildings, wells- well, seems like a steel structure over the well head would do it)?
What is the solution. We see the problems.
Public outreach, education, and a compromise between trees and people, but how?
I think it's the ice factor. Aside from removal, topping is the only treatment that will guarantee no limb failure during heavy ice loads. These people have lived through some major ice events and have seen the aftermath - the topped trees still look just like they did before, while the untouched trees are mangled beyond recognition and laying on everyone's cars and houses. And it's cheaper too, but even the least caring home owner should recognize the need for PPE.
[/ QUOTE ]
I can see people getting the idea that topping will save their trees. When a tornado hit So. IL last summer, the previously topped trees stood (in a very ugly state), while badly included trees split everywhere, some trees uprooted leveling some houses, damaged trees and houses were everywhere.
In a time of crisis, people see what they see and figure that topping is the way to go. Unless they can see the damage of topping, with decay, disease, splitting, etc, then they go with their limited observations at the whole truth.
Perhaps topping does have the least amount of property damage during storms. What is the overall picture? Maintenance topping costs, damage from falling epicormic limbs, costs for clean up of falling epicormic limbs (widowmaker removal, too), etc.
What is a viable solution for ice storm belts?
So often people talk about a 15 year ago ice storm that hit Olympia and other areas nearby. Its burned into people's brains (or is that frozen).
Would crown reductions help? Cyclical removal and replacement of trees where the obstacle can't be moved (buildings, wells- well, seems like a steel structure over the well head would do it)?
What is the solution. We see the problems.
Public outreach, education, and a compromise between trees and people, but how?
