Tree Mutilation Occurring in Arkansas
Arkansas is blessed with many trees – a forest of green in the spring and summer, a blanket of warm reds and brilliant yellows in the fall. We have so many trees that we hardly blink when an archaic tree mutilating practice takes place. It’s called "topping" and it’s prevalent throughout the state.
Topping is the drastic removal or cutting back of large branches in mature trees. The tree is pruned or sheared much the way a hedge is cut, leaving large exposed stubs. The practice is also known as heading, stubbing, tipping, lopping, or hat racking. Regardless of what it’s called, topping is ugly, expensive and dangerous.
Topping is a major starting point for trees to become hazardous. Homeowners often consider topping an acceptable practice when they need to make trees smaller because they are growing under power lines or to reduce homeowner liability. However, the severe, harsh cutting only makes the tree grow back faster in the form of ugly sprouts, which are much weaker and more susceptible to disease, insects, and rot. The weakened trees become hazardous during storms making them much more likely to fall. In the long run, it is better to remove these trees and plant new trees in a better location.
One severe ice storm or an outbreak of spring storms can devastate a community, leaving behind broken limbs and fallen trees. Then the untrained chainsaw wielders appear, often with little or no understanding of how to properly prune trees. The more to cut, the quicker the job, the bigger the payday. They can do a lot of damage, too. But damage caused by poor pruning or topping is slow and won’t be noticed until it’s too late to save the tree.
Homeowners should beware of these people. "Topping is a quick way to make a buck," say various professionals who are members of the Arkansas Urban Forestry Council. Some people say utility companies are also to blame. However, most companies are eager to educate consumers on how to pick the right tree for the right spot and how to prune properly under power lines.
The right tree planted in the right place can provide us with many environmental benefits: reduction of storm water runoff and flooding, cleaner and cooler air, habitat for wildlife and recreation and buffers from noise and wind.
With a little common sense, the public can stop the topping practice and eventual death of our cherished trees. For more information on "Topping Hurts Trees!" call Arkansas Urban Forestry Council at 800-958-5865 or the Arkansas Forestry Commission at 501-296-1940; or visit the council’s website at www.arkansastrees.org. The Arkansas Urban Forestry Council is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the stewardship of Arkansas’ urban and community trees.
