There’s a lot of lingo in our industry. As Arborists we might refer to a certain practice, but to the layman they might call it something else. Here’s a breakdown of some tree care terminology.
Let’s start with “Tree Topping”
Is that an official term? Not in the arboriculture industry.
It’s a casual term that describes the practice of cutting back large branches to stubs, often considered harmful and outdated.
Tree Surgeon – Most common in places like Australia and UK. For the most part, ‘Arborist’ = ‘tree care professional’ = ‘tree surgeon’.
ISA Arborist – An arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture, trained and knowledgeable in a variety of aspects of arboriculture.
Tree Pruning – The selective removal of tree branches to improve structure, health, or aesthetics.
Crown Cleaning – Removing dead, dying, or diseased branches from the crown of the tree.
Crown Thinning – The selective removal of branches to reduce density, improve light penetration, and enhance airflow.
Crown Raising – Removing the lower branches to increase clearance beneath the tree for pedestrians, vehicles, or views.
Crown Reduction – Reducing the height or spread of the tree by cutting back to lateral branches while maintaining the tree’s shape.
Crown Restoration – Restoring the structure of a tree that has been poorly pruned or damaged.
Clearance pruning – similar to crown raising and safety pruning. It’s a type of tree pruning that involves reducing branches to provide clearance from buildings, electrical wires, neighbouring trees, and other structures.
Directional Pruning – Goes hand and hand with clearance pruning. Pruning branches to direct future growth away from structures, power lines, or other areas.
Structural Pruning – Developing a strong central leader and improving branch spacing, typically for young trees.
Reduction Pruning – closely related to Crown Reduction. A technique to reduce tree height or spread while preserving its natural form and structural integrity.
Pollarding – A pruning technique that involves cutting back the tree to the same points repeatedly, encouraging dense regrowth.
Vista Pruning (or View enhancement pruning) – Pruning to create or maintain a specific view.
Deadwooding – The removal of dead or dying branches for safety and tree health.
Cabling and Bracing – Installing hardware to support weak branches or trees at risk of structural failure.
Safety pruning – or risk mitigation pruning, focuses on identifying and eliminating dead, dying, or hazardous branches
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