NEWS photo Terry Peters

NORTH VANCOUVER District forest technologist Ron Myers was on site while district workers
recently pruned trees on East Kings Road.

‘Topping trees passe, says

NVI

TWO OF the time-honored ways to tend trees have gone
“‘timber,’’ according to North Vancouver District’ s forest

technologist Ron Myers.

Research has shown that topp-
ing trees and repairing scarred or
barkless ‘patches with tar con-
tribute to the problern this is sup-
posed to solve.

“‘Things are changing, par-
ticutarly in the. last six or seven
years. There is a !ot of research
that has been done and all the old
theories like topping and painting
trees have changed,’’ said Myers,
a landscape architect who is just
completing his studies to be an
arborist.

Myers said the ideal time to
prune is probably now before
trees siart to grow, but anytime
when they are dormant — begin-
ning in the fall — is acceptable.

Myers, says it is almost
preferable to cut down a tree
rather than top it these days as a
topped. trce becomes unhealthy
and a long-term maintenance
prcblem. °

Topping (cutting the top trunk
portion ‘ofa tree) causes the ‘rest
of. the trunk and branches to
thicken. This causes the tree to
catch more wind, making it more
prone to come down in a storm.

Topping also interferes with the
‘tree’s growth hormones, causing
the roots to decline which results

"ima less stable tree.

He said the preferred way to

decrease the square footage of a
tree is to spiral trim or remove
every third or fourth branch up a
tree in a spiral pattern.
: “Trees have been genetically
designed for 10,000 years. They
are not suicidal so they don’t
grow to a height where they fall
over,’’ said Myers.

So why does it seem like there is
a lot of tree topping going on on
the North Shore?

VENETIAN BLINDS
CLEANED

ONLY $700 a

Cali

BLIND AMBITION
' 984-9199 - 929-4433
* drop off rate

By Anna Marie D’Angelo
News Reporter

“There is a tendency for any-
body with a pickup truck and a
chain saw to calf himself a tree-

care specialist,’’ said Myers.

“These chippo guys will do
anything you want them to, which
is not necessarily the best thing
for the tree.”’

Myers said residents should ask
about liability insurance and irain-
ing of anyone they employ to do
work on trees.

He said $1 million liabilty is
probably acceptable.

The International
Arboriculture governs
tesearch and licenses experts.

Society of
tree

forest technologist

As far as tarring scarred trees,
Myers said the tar has been shown
to trap moisture on the tree,
creating good conditions for
fungus growth.

He said if residents don’t want
to call an arborist to solve the
problem, they should trim off any
loose bark with a sharp knife and
leave the scar to heal on its own,

One of tite common mistakes
peaple do is pur fill around trees.

“Roots need gaseous exchange
or air'to survive and that happens
with feeder ronts within six inches
of the soil. Roots can . actually
stnainer and die,’’ said Myers.

Native trees which abound on
private and public property on the
Norti Shore may cause fungal in-
fections to nearby introduced or
nursery trees.

Native trees include western red
cedar, Douglas fir, western
hemiock, black cottonwood and
ted alder.

Mattresses
from

Dinettes

No Atiddlemen.
Warehouse
Operation.

True Quality.
Affordable Cabinets,

24” Vanity Base
Double Door

White
Melamine
54.9
54” x 24" Utility
Cabinet