TREE LOPPING

What is Tree Lopping?

The simplest definition of tree lopping is the removal of tree branches with a vertical cut by a chain saw. Tree lopping is also the term used by Arborists to describe unwise tree cutting done by homeowners who are attempting to reduce a tree’s shape and size without consideration of the damage they may cause to the tree. Many homeowners lop off tree branches or tree tops following storm damage or undesirable tree growth on their properties and–with good intentions–attempt to reduce the height or crown of a tree. Unfortunately, when done without guidance, tree lopping can cause further damage to your trees. Before you take a chain saw to the branches of your trees, let Log Masters Tree Service help you avoid common tree lopping mistakes, and guide you to the better approach of tree trimming and/or tree cutting services.

How Does Tree Lopping Cause Damage?

Tree lopping describes a dangerous, clumsy, and unschooled tree pruning that ends up doing your trees more harm than good. When unknowing homeowners or uncertified tree services lop off branches with vertical cuts, or top off portions of the crown of the tree by making horizontal cuts, they may endanger themselves and leave the remaining trunk and branches unnecessarily overexposed to the sun’s light and heat. The ultimate result of indiscriminate tree lopping is personal injury, property damage, wounded trees prone to decay, and unseen sunburn beneath the bark that leads to death of more branches on the tree, instability to the tree’s trunk and unattractive trees.

Here are the main dangers of unsupervised tree lopping:

1) Tree Lopping is Dangerous

Homeowners are often unaware of the sheer height and weight of trees. Besides the risks of climbing a tree and/or falling from a tall tree, when a tree trunk or tree branch is severed there are unintended consequences that are avoidable with education or the help of a professional. Whether your lopped off branches get trapped in your trees, fall in an unintended way causing damage to your property, or unintentionally threaten your own safety, homeowners rarely have the skill or equipment to deal with the weight and danger of larger trees.

2) Tree Lopping Often Causes Tree Decay

Tree lopping is often done without proper tree pruning technique leaving large wounds that trees are incapable of closing, as well as significant foliage reduction (more on this later). A healthy tree actually has self-healing mechanisms that close a wound at the area of its pruning, but tree lopping adds multiple wounds to the tree simultaneously, which can expose your tree to decay that spreads through the branches to the trunk, ultimately killing the tree. Additionally, the leaves on branches (foliage) function as sunscreen for your tree. When tree lopping removes branches the number of leaves is reduced, exposing the tree to sunburn. At the same time, the tree moves into a ‘survival mode’ where it will try to grow as many leaves as it can to cover itself. Because the remaining foliage does not necessarily protect against sun damage the tree develops cankers, bark splitting and sunburn underneath the surface of the bark. Tree lopping requires the tree to use unnecessary energy to heal itself while exposing it to sun damage which may lead to untimely death or the necessity for costly tree removal.

3) Tree Lopping Leads to Unsightly Trees

As already mentioned, when tree lopping takes place your tree will try to use its stored energy to grow back the missing foliage in an effort to nourish itself. This can lead to unsightly looking trees with uneven and unnatural foliage, stems, and awkward growth from the branch stumps left by tree lopping. The ‘survival mode’ that is triggered in the tree leads to regrowth with unattractive vertical branches with ugly water sprouts that often disfigure the tree indefinitely.