Tree Height Reduction
Northampton, Milton Keynes, Bedford
Tree height reduction is a tree surgery procedure where the height of the tree is usually reduced and controlled. When trees have weak branches, they can easily fall on your driveway. However, it’s better that you don’t learn this the hard way. This service is important to both the people living around it and also to the tree itself.
When we control the growth of the tree, we in turn control the dangers that it can cause. You may want to reduce the height of a tree because it has outgrown your garden and started to invade your border boundaries, or perhaps it is starting to threaten any overhead utilities such as electric cables.
This practice requires specialised services since the process of cutting requires a set of skills as well as specialised tree cutting equipment. Do not attempt any tree surgery unless you have the related experience, equipment and competence.
Weak branches can also be cut to improve its structural integrity. Some trees start curving once they reach a certain height and can easily fall or break on a windy day. Cutting some parts of the tree strengthens the remaining branches and therefore cannot be shaken by heavy wind.
Fruit trees that grow tall always require this service. If you want to improve the quality of your fruits, then cutting some of its weak and unhealthy parts is a good idea. It also improves the overall look of your trees. Overgrown trees in gardens can prevent direct sunlight from reaching your home.
When reducing the height of mature trees, you never simply remove the entire top part of the tree. This process is known as “lopping” or “topping” and is very harmful to the tree. This is because you are removing some of its primary branches reducing its food production capacity. It also severely disfigures the tree.
What is the crown of a tree?
The crown of a tree is a section of it measured from the start of its branches. The measurements do not usually consider the main aspect of the stem or trunk, i.e., the section from the ground up to the first growing branch, where the trunk ends and where the branches begin, is therefore known as the tree crown.
Reducing Tree Height: Why It’s Important
Available for both residential and commercial properties, crown reduction involves precisely reducing the overall height and spread of a tree’s canopy. By scaling down the canopy’s size, we significantly lessen the weight and mechanical stress the tree must withstand.
This process makes the tree far more wind-resistant and protects it from splitting or breaking during harsh storms. Unlike removing a tree entirely, crown reduction is an environmentally friendly management strategy. It preserves the tree’s health and oxygen production, while eliminating the safety hazards that heavy, overgrown branches pose to your property.
How Much Can I Reduce My Tree By?
A tree’s capacity for crown reduction depends entirely on its species. Fast-growing trees like Sycamore, Ash, Lime, Willow, and Poplar tolerate heavier, more extensive reductions well because they recover quickly. Conversely, species like Beech, Cherry, and Oak do not cope with aggressive pruning; reducing them too drastically can permanently stunt their shape, invite disease, or even kill the tree.
As a rule of thumb, a standard reduction of around 2 meters relieves structural weight while maintaining a beautifully balanced shape. To ensure healthy regrowth, branches should always be cut back precisely to the nearest active growth point. This same 2-meter guideline is typically recommended when clearing branches that overhang a neighboring property line.
Will A Crown Reduction Affect The Appearance Of My Tree?
Crown reductions don’t directly affect the appearance of your tree. Processes such as this involve scaling the back of your tree, leaving the leaves intact, and our professionals will ensure the overall structural integrity is concealed – trees in local Northamptonshire gardens, still blooming with character, just a whole great deal stronger and done extremely safely.
What If a Tree Preservation Order Covers My Tree or I Live in a Conservation Area?
It is a common misconception that you cannot carry out any emergency tree removal works or tree surgery if your tree is protected.
If you find that you live in a conservation area and your tree has TPO on it, it is in your best interest to go to your local council for any advice or carry out the jobs necessary. Your local council may limit how much you can reduce or remove the tree and sustain its natural and overall structure and appearance.
Here at Arborescence Tree Care Ltd, we are happy to make an application to your local Northampton council on your behalf if you are unable to do so yourself if we offer you a free no-obligation quote and peace of mind.
Contact us by giving us a call today or via email for further information, and our professionals can give any necessary advice on our services, hedge trimming and tree pruning.
Lopping is a term that defines the tree removal of larger side branches by making vertical cuts. It is the stump removal of much bigger portions from the crown of a tree. Topping is the act of cutting large portions from the crown horizontally. Doing so means older trees are chopped at the very top of the trunk. The Lopping and Topping, also known as pollarding, of trees, are often frowned upon as they aren’t seen as being entirely beneficial for the tree, as opposed to crown reduction, which allows for room for regrowth, lopping and topping cuts off the potential for this growth entirely and risks much damage to the tree, as it could cause crown thinning and harmful reshaping of the tree.
Whilst it does free a tree from enormous stress, in the long-term, it doesn’t serve it well – it struggles to regrow any completely cut off branches, and as a result, it may die off. Lopping and Topping have been terms removed from the British Standard of Tree Work from 2010 onwards. The term crown reduction is used far more commonly. This has no negative connotation, and reductions are made in ways that benefit the surrounding areas and maintain the tree’s lifespan.
Arborescence Tree Care are proudly registered with the ISA; all of our team are holders of valid NPTC and City & Guilds qualifications.
We are experts in all aspects of tree services and by choosing us, you are guaranteed the best quality of work and best value for your money.
- Daventry
- Brixworth
- Wellingborough
- Bedford
- Market Harborough
- Desborough
- Milton Keynes
- Sharnbrook
- Silverstone
- Towcester
- Roade
Contact us today for Tree Height Reduction on 01933 666078 or 07843 982440. Read more about our full range of tree surgery services in Northampton, Milton Keynes, Bedford.
