What's the point of planting trees and then pruning them?
Unlike forest trees, which assume various forms or shapes based on their growing environment, trees in urban environments need to be pruned for various reasons.
Young trees are pruned to direct their growth, ensuring that their mature form is structurally desirable.
The branches of roadside trees may be pruned when they grow into the path of pedestrians or vehicles. Thus, buses for example, will not slam into branches hanging over the road.
Trees may also be pruned to look tidy and attractive.
Mature trees require pruning to remove dying or diseased branches, to lighten any heavy branches, and to reduce the wind resistance of the entire canopy. This ensures safety of people.
After inspecting a tree, an arborist may prescribe specific methods of pruning in order to improve the health and safety of the tree, such as crown thinning and crown reduction.
