well.... that is why peeps should NOT plant trees in utility EASEMENTS ...

anyway ....the pruning should have no impact on future growth ...

that is .... until the cuts start rotting in a decade or two ... or reactive hyper-growth becomes weak ... as it extends and puts on weight at distance ...

w/o knowing what the trees are.. there isnt much further to go ...

ken

First off, those are surely not "city" tree guys. I've worked for a municipal forestry department since 1980 and I assure you, the work you describe is being done by a private company hired by the power company to keep vegetation clear of those lines.

Second, if your community takes the time to develop a "tree ordinance", it will be possible to at least require target pruning cuts, not just lopped off branches at the 6-ft. mark. Target in this case means cutting back to a lateral. It can still be a rather severe pruning, but the tree is far more able to recover from this type of work.

Finally, I'm right there with you in terms of hating to see trees abused (if that is actually the case here). But you may be surprised at how much recovery they are able to achieve.

Oh, and one more: Trees can certainly still be planted in powerline corridors. But they should be species which mature at a height below the lines. We also do this all the time. To tell the truth, I don't especially care for the look of a street with mini-trees along it, but it's better than no trees, and in time, should look pretty good.

+oM

"until the cuts start rotting in a decade or two"

Ken, what makes you think we are talking about yews, osage orange, or black locust? Seriously, I love it when someone gets their trees topped against my recommendations and I get to come back in just a year or two and talk to them about fixing the issue. They always seem to remember what I said (even thought they might not have believed it to start with), and they often join me in letting others know that topping is NOT the right decision.

Dirtguy, ever since them ice storms a decadeish back Ameren has been told to enforce their easements and clear the lines. people complaining about no power and the like plus the cost of sending folks out to restore power I suppose. (Stupid new servers won't let me space properly).Throw in a couple babies and old folks who need electricity for medical equipment and they're on a tear.........(stupid spacing problems on Android. just this Hozza site lol.)

Regardless, I am thrilled they did not DIRECTLY bill me each time they came out to prune back my Shingle oak. I know we all pay through our bills bit at least not directly.

And again....I would like to suggest the formation of a tree council and a tree ordinance. It works wonders! IF no such restrictions, the power company is going to do the cheapest, easiest job, which will mean heading-back cuts set a certain distance from the lines, with no consideration to tree biology or aesthetics. Bitch if it makes you feel better, but there are remedies for these situations.

The city where I live and happen to work has long had such an ordinance. The result is that at least a sort of compromise has been reached between power co. needs and the other factors I list above. But drive the short distance to where our city ends and the next suburb or whatever begins, and the difference is immediately apparent, and awful to look upon. Like all of modern commerce, the bottom line rules all, unless regulated-there's a dirty word for some-by carefully thought out and executed rule-making.

+oM