Can we talk about the tree topping at the city park on Elm Street?

I walked through Elm Street Park yesterday and saw they hacked the tops off three old oaks. Everyone says it's fine for safety, but I think it's ruining the trees and makes them weaker in the long run. Who else has seen bad topping jobs in public spaces?

3 comments

3 Comments

maryt6215d ago

... and they just left those massive wounds open, no sealant, nothing. I saw the cuts on the biggest oak near the playground and they were jagged, not even a clean cut. Three years from now those trees are going to be dropping branches left and right, mark my words. It's like they don't realize topping stresses them out so bad they grow back weak.

martin.felix14d ago

You know what, @maryt62, I used to think sealant was a waste of time but seeing how jagged those cuts are changed my mind completely.

jesse99412d ago

Honestly, I gotta jump in here because @maryt62 is right about most of it but one thing - tree sealant is actually not recommended by arborists anymore. My cousin's a tree guy and he says leaving that stuff open lets the tree heal naturally, sealant just traps moisture and rot inside. But yeah, those jagged cuts are a nightmare, way worse for the tree than a clean cut would be. Those oaks are gonna have a rough time bouncing back from a hack job like that.