Tree trimming

I refer to an article in last week’s Taupo & Turangi Weekender about trees being felled on Waipahihi Ave, Taupo¯.

As the Taupo¯ District Council arborist at the time, I had been called by some residents of Ngauruhoe St to ask if we could top the trees as they were losing their views. As council had changed the tree policy to incorporate a no topping policy (because it’s bad practice, promotes decay, poor form and a decline in structural integrity), I looked at the health of the trees in the first instance to see how they aligned with the “dead, declining or dangerous” section of the policy and then options for them going forward on the basis of the initial climbing assessment.

Having carried out the canopy inspection I found large cavities and decay in several of the trees along with Ganoderma (bracket fungus), severe sun scorch and decline within the upper limbs, all of which were photographed. It was decided to remove the worstaffected trees and allow the remainder, with an annual pruning programme, to be restructured and potentially grow into better specimen trees. This is something that I have done successfully on several of the oaks on the lake front that had also been topped but which are now quite nice specimens. The Ngauruhoe St residents were advised that I would not be removing for views but for the betterment and health of the trees and, in fact, if the trees flourished as I expected them to, any short term gain they had would be lost in a couple of years as they would soon fill the gaps left by the removals.

There was suggestion from the other consulting arborist that the trees could be kept as a hedge or pollarded. Both of these options, certainly the latter, are something that needs to be carried out on the trees from a young age and not when they are mature specimens, which these are. I’d also add that it would have been difficult to carry out a proper assessment of the health of the trees based on stumps or photos.

Hopefully, the trees will be left alone apart from the original restructuring required and will continue to grow and add beauty to the street for many years to come. IAN ASHMORE Consultant Arborist Editor’s note: Pollarding is a method of pruning trees that keeps trees and shrubs smaller than they would naturally grow.