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November 1, 2010

STATE DNR ENCOURAGES PROPER PRUNING OF TREES; NO TOPPING
Linden Mead, Washington State Urban and Community Forestry Program Specialist


(ANNOUNCER) The Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ Urban and Community Forestry Program wants you to keep your trees safe and healthy. One of the most important things you can do to ensure the successful life of a tree is to prune it instead of topping it.

Linden Mead, DNR’s urban and community forestry specialist says there are several reasons why people engage in the practice of topping trees, but topping a tree doesn’t work to make a tree shorter, healthier or to improve a view.

DNR is reminding the public that weak, hollow limbs and decay increase the risk of tree branches breaking and possibly adding the potential to damage people or property.



(LINDEN MEAD) Cut One — 30 seconds
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/em_mead_1_dnrradio11012010.mp3

“The reason it’s not good for a tree is because, first and foremost, a tree loses all of its food source, but when it loses its food source it becomes stressed. It doesn’t have the leaf surface anymore and the roots become stressed. When a tree is stressed it opens it up to decay and insect attack. And any of the decay causes damages to both the structure of the tree and it physically harms the tree and weakens it.”



(ANNOUNCER) Mead says the Urban and Community Forestry Program is working with communities statewide to try and stop this malpractice of trees, and you can find out more about alternatives to tree topping by talking with a certified arborist or visit DNR’s website at www.dnr.wa.gov/urbanforestry.


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Media Contact: Janet Pearce, Community Outreach and Education Coordinator, 360-902-1122, janet.pearce@dnr.wa.gov