Pruning Operations
With arboriculture it's certainly not all or nothing!
There are numerous pruning procedures that can be undertaken to achieve specific criteria; creating more light, opening up a view, risk reduction or keeping the height and spread of the canopy under control.
If removing a tree completely is too drastic for you then there are plenty of options available. Likewise, if your tree/s fall within a conservation area or have TPO's on them you may still be allowed to carry out pruning operations. In this instance the works would have to be under the guidance of the Peak District National Park Tree Officers. Here at HVTC we have a brilliant and longstanding relationship working closely with the National Park authorities. We will arrange site meetings with the Tree Officers and handle all the relevant permissions as part of our service.
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Please browse the following section which explains some of these procedures and what they can achieve.
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NB when viewing our galleries on your mobile device or tablet please click on the images to access the full view and descriptions.
Crown Raise
Crown raising refers to the removal of lower branches to increase the vertical distance between the base of the tree and the canopy. The main focus of this pruning operation is on the canopy itself. Therefore, depending on the branch structure this may not mean removing all the branches below the line of the desired raise as this may disturb the canopy higher up.
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This procedure can be used to; let more light through underneath the canopy, raise the canopy from over garden boarders, paths and driveways, If your trees are next to highway then this can be used to achieve the five meter clearance required by the authorities or, to open up a view and let more light through underneath the canopy
Crown Thin
Crown thinning refers to the process of systematically removing selected branches from every limb of the tree. The aim of this is to reduce the density of the canopy's foliage.
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The two predominant reasons for a crown thin are; to reduce the weight and sail effect (the stress put on limbs due to the foliage catching the wind like a sail) for safety reasons and, to allow more light to pernitrate through the canopy itself. It is important to note that the size and shape of the canopy is unaltered during the thinning process, therefore, retaining the natural shape of the tree but allowing much more light through.
A crown thin is usually expressed as a percentage, for example a 20% thin may be advised for safety reasons or, a 50% thin may be suggested to improve light. The gallery below shows examples of a crown thins undertaken in Baslow and Hathersage to meet different work specifications.
Crown Reduction
As the name suggests a crown reduction is a procedure whereby the overall height and width of the canopy is reduced. This is achieved by removing the tips of branches and pruning them back to suitable replacement growth points.
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There comes a point where many trees outgrow the spaces they are in or become overpowering within gardens and next to properties. A reduction is the perfect choice for those who do not wish to remove a tree altogether but would like it to be smaller. How well a tree lends itself to a reduction differs between species and individual specimens. There is usually an inverse relationship between the percentage of the reduction and the aesthetics of the finished product, therefore it is usually a case of finding a happy medium.
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Reductions are also used as a method of risk reduction, especially on species prone to shedding limbs and mature trees that have reached the nature stage of growth where limbs begin to fail.