The Beginners Guide to Tree Lopping
When researching tree maintenance, you will come to terms such as lopping, pruning, pollarding and thinning. It is important to understand the difference between these terms, and the associated impact each strategy will have on your important tree assets.
Lopping or pollarding involves the extensive cutting back of the upper branches to expose the lower canopy and restrict the height of the tree. Professional arborists such as Jamie Nairn of Total Tree Services don’t usually recommend wholesale lopping or pollarding of trees, as the regrowth is often weaker and that makes the tree and nearby structures more susceptible to storm damage. Lopping a tree back to the trunk also opens the tree to extensive decay and encourages potential termite infestation.
According to the Australian Standards relating to tree maintenance, pollarding should only be undertaken for remedial tree work and not simply for convenience. e.g. Cutting back a tree to obtain a better view.
When maintaining your tree assets, and protecting your property and that of your neighbours, pruning and thinning are the better options. Properly structured pruning and thinning by a qualified arborist will still achieve the result of reducing height or reach, while at the same time improving the tree's appearance, promote healthy plant growth and protect people and property. Other benefits include removing dead or diseased wood and promoting new growth and better air circulation which reduces the wind loading on branches during storms.
When working with nature, sometimes things can go wrong despite the best preparation. So, it is important that you only engage a qualified arborist with full insurance coverage that protects you and your property.
Don’t take chances with unsuitable equipment or inexperienced people claiming to be experienced at managing tree assets. If the person you call only talks about lopping, hacking or pollarding then it’s likely they aren’t a qualified, experienced and skilled arborist. Total Tree Services provide customers with peace of mind, 18 years’ experience, and value for money.
Whether it’s maintaining trees that enhance the lifestyle on your property or cleaning up after storms and natural disasters – Jamie Nairn and Total Tree Services are the answer.