Tree Pruning

About Tree Pruning

The vital thing to note about pruning is that there is an Australian Standard AS:4373: Pruning of amenity trees. All arborists work to this standard, which is expected within the industry.
It is essential to hire an Arborist.

Crown Thinning

Crown thinning involves the selective removal of branches or limbs within the canopy, which improves crown density.
It can assist in reducing the sail area and increasing the light penetrating through the tree's canopy.
Crown thinning is only used with broader-leaved species and generally does not alter the tree's size or shape. General guidelines state that no more than 30% should be removed at any time.

Crown Lift or Raise

 Crown lifting or raising is the selective removal of a tree's lower branches or limbs to gain clearance.
Crown lifting should not involve removing large branches that grow directly from the base of the trunk. Doing so can create large wounds that decay and lead to future structural integrity issues.

Crown Reduction

Reducing height, spread, or both reduces mechanical stress (windthrow) on a tree and/or individual branches. It can also make the tree more fitting with its environment and minimise loss of light/excessive shade.

A crown reduction usually involves selective pruning of the outer branches. Not all species of trees are suited to this type of pruning, and confusing crown reduction with lopping can lead to problems. Lopping is a harmful technique that should be avoided.