The Case for (good) Tree Pruning
Ten-minute read:
Local eagle parents-to-be
Creative tree trimming
Site planning vs engineering
Juniper palms
Contracting with inadequate training and knowledge
Pre-Brambleton abandoned horse barn and home
Looking forward to spring
I have noticed, as a landscape architect for 18 years and a Certified Arborist for half of that, that the disfiguration of our landscape trees has become more common. Three images below show creative, yet undesirable, examples of tree pruning. Have you noticed these local sites, or do these things go mostly unseen?
These are the Wegmans Pears, the UHaul Juniper Palms, and the Chantilly Shell Buffer Trees. In fairness, a commercial leasing and management firm, not Wegmans, probably owns the development where the pears are located.
A row of Juniper Palms. and one Magnolia Palm. I coined these terms (palm trees are more closely related to grasses, not evergreen trees) after seeing this unique pruning technique. The maples and other shade trees are also limbed up unnaturally high to maximize visibility. 70mm, 1/400s, f/8.0, iso 100
The Tree Care Industry Association puts it simply: pruning is much more than the simple act of sawing off limbs. Yet you have only to drive a few miles to see some exceptional examples of the wrong way to prune. Some are not maintained enough; some are maintained just fine.
As we begin to see a return of spring on the distant horizon with its warmer days, fledgling eaglets, lawn cutting, and other fun things, I’d like to consider these and how they may relate to re-fresh-ing our personal spaces. Dave, are you making too much of this? Tree trimming isn’t rocket science – true. I see a two-fold issue. The first: proper pruning requires knowledge of tree biology and standardized safety practices. Doing it without these results, in the worst-case, in injury or property damage. More often it introduces stress and wounds which predispose trees to disease, pests, and shortened life. That leads to less and less healthy tree canopy, lower property values, worse community appearance, lower bird insect and animal habitat, etc.
Now is the best time to prune most types of our own trees. If you have not in the past, consider the landscape construction and maintenance professionals through who you, as business and home owners, hire for improvements. Consider writing your elected officials to support zoning ordinance adjustments which lead to higher quality landscapes in the long term, while not imposing unnecessary restrictions. Ask contractors if they have ISA Certified Arborists on staff who will oversee or perform pruning work, and only hire those which do. Hire impartial 3rd party arborists to provide assessments before hiring the firm who will do the work.
A recently pruned Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Bradford’) with many heading cuts. The plane trees in the background have not been recently trimmed. 147mm, 1/400s, f/8.0, iso 125
The second is broader: Why do we tolerate this; do we not see it? I don’t mean each individual instance, but as a whole, over time, through market forces, collective decision making, and shaping of regulations like ‘who is qualified to be working in the community as a tree pruner?’
I think we perceive poor landscape choices, which can include pruning, when trees look and are unnatural, even if we aren’t consciously aware of exactly what’s wrong. Do we not gain enough knowledge and appreciation of plants and tree science, something intrinsic to humanity, in the 12 to 16+ years most spend in schools? I believe so. If it’s important to us, enough of us will find a way to incorporate more into our curriculums and lifelong interests.
It might be part of a larger question of how our developments (offices, shopping, data centers, housing) are shaped. On the one hand, development of the land can be planned with real consideration for its character, ecology, surrounding context: the communities’ vernacular. M-W defines this as “nonstandard language or dialect of a place, region, or country”. What is the vernacular of Ashburn, Loudoun County, or Northern Virginia? Is it embodied in the architecture of Oatlands and the homes and barns along Snickersville Turnpike? The villages of Middleburg, Waterford, and Leesburg? The Point of Rocks bridge and (former, for now) White’s Ferry? Is it the stacked stone walls and three-board fences that are common through Aldie and the Rt 50 corridor, and the rolling bucolic landscapes they enclose that are still so common to the middle and western parts of Loudoun? Perhaps those are our most famous examples, or maybe it’s also much more.
I am not suggesting modern development should look like Oatlands, or be comprised of authentically replicated stacked-stone walls. I am only asking what is the identity of Loudoun, the Blue Ridge District (a question in a question), Ashburn, and Brambleton? What is the meaningful inspiration guiding the shape our community today takes? Is it authentic, is it desirable, or do we want more; should we expect more? Read about local limestone caves and quarries, and other interesting historic stories.
The Dulles Expo center was one of the first ‘landmarks’ I saw on an early foray to the region’s eastern reaches. To me, its warehouse-scale architecture and imposing parking lot with islands of mostly struggling trees epitomize development we should not want as a source of community identity. To be clear, I love Brambleton and find it to be a well-planned community situated towards the high end of spectrums spanning livable vs unlivable, beautiful vs unattractive, safe vs dangerous, desirable vs undesirable.
Back to land planning, the other way development of a parcel of land can occur is by being highly engineered, massively transformed to maximize productivity and with little regard to surrounding context, environmental considerations (for example, taking advantage of natural sun and shade patterns for energy efficiency), and human factors that might make it otherwise more attractive and desirable places. Land is valuable. I get why someone thought building two to three tiers of 12-foot high segmental retaining walls to allow more pad sites for quick-service restaurants, a big box store, and nail salons would equate to more rentable revenue. But I don’t know why we and our zoning ordinances and planning commissions, or in the case of when zoning does not allow this development by-right, our Commissioners who approve such special exceptions, allow or encourage these land-use patterns.
Data centers may make a locally appropriate case study. Personally, I think there’s lots to like about them - they don’t require much parking, they don’t generate many trips (once dump trucks finish hauling the construction materials and waste away), provide good tax revenue, and don’t require more schools in a world that will never have enough. I have a friend who abhors every single data center, but I think there is at least one ‘good’ looking one for every three really bad. The ‘good’ ones, when clustered together in industrial districts, using good site planning practices, with their required-by-zoning plantings placed at a sustainable density (i.e. not becoming overgrown after 5 years) using properly-amended soil (i.e. some topsoil content) is a perfectly fine land use which can fill a welcome niche within our community. Many of the issues I described were raised during the recent Loudoun countywide zoning update process and I think those tasked with leading the process tried to address some of them.
Land development should strike a balance between landowner rights and the needs and values of the entire community, which do evolve over time. In an imperfect world, we still have lots of room for improvement on both sides of that balance.
Horse riding stables in 2010 located at current day Tradewind Dr and Evergreen Mills Rd, Brambleton. More images available below in the gallery. 34mm, 1/320s, f/2.8, iso 400
Not long ago, when I moved here in 2009, I was able to explore abandoned horse barns, homes, surrounding woods and old farm fields. In these last two, many had their own remnants of old settlement - rusted-farm implements, metal refrigerators, other junk, and landscape plants of old, now wild but distinctly non-native plants which were popular during eras of colonial exploration and made available to all. Things that, like everything culturally cyclical, pre-date our current priorities, such as the native plant craze: Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera mackii), English Ivy (Hedera helix), Autumn Olive (Eleagnus sp.), and Mulberry trees (Morus sp.) You can read more about the intersection of non-native plants and our natural landscapes here.
I’ve seen the same items - and they’re quite fascinating as a window into our local history - walking the less-traveled western side of Beaverdam Reservoir, which was created by impounding Beaverdam Creek just off the higher-order Goose Creek, in 1972. Now many of these abandoned homesteads have been consolidated and turned into new homes for many like myself in Brambleton - a process which has happened countless times across America as our rural areas evolve - and disappear, for better or for worse - over time.
A far larger issue than improper tree pruning surrounds a holistic lack of planning, consideration, and knowledge of how to preserve trees during development and re-development. This is more acute in Virginia, which has no state-level forest conservation law that can trickle down to local jurisdictions, as Maryland does. Trees are indiscriminately removed, their structural roots trenched within feet of the trunk, crushed by heavy equipment driving over the soil, and otherwise disfigured. These all significantly wound, deprive roots of air space, eliminate the ability to balance moisture and nutrient uptake with leaf transpiration, and in turn open the door to insect and disease proliferation. Development is a given (though I wish there was more private land conservation, perhaps a future blog topic). But it would not be significantly more expensive or difficult with adequate foresight and planning to maintain and incorporate more canopy and individual healthy trees in our built landscapes. And that would exponentially increase the value-added of redevelopment to the community at large.
Some Northern Virginia jurisdictions have urban foresters who review commercial and institutional projects during the permitting process. Most require some level of tree canopy area replacement. But, as I describe below, this seldom results in a one-for-one exchange between pre- and post-development conditions. Stands of large (let’s say 24-inch trunk diameter and larger) red and white oaks (very often) in fair to good condition are cut down and many small (3-inch) trees are planted and, because of cultural (site) conditions, most will never get close to 33 percent of the size and ecosystem services provided of the removals.
Nursery grown and mature preserved trees at a recently completed landscape project, Ashburn, VA.
50mm, 1/100s, f/4.0, iso 100
Fewer jurisdictions have regulations requiring meaningful accounting of existing tree conditions, and fewer still have influence over how much those to remain are impacted or methods of protection. Fairfax County is an exception to this approach, and actually, more than others their rule that requires permits document trees on the neighboring property be considered can reduce the likelihood that those are not significantly impacted, where they might eventually catastrophically fail. Arlington County focuses on replacement of lost individual trees, but their urban foresters are very knowledgable and this often leads to more meaningful preservation which is the goal I think is key. Generally, less regulation is better than more. But there are decades that show us that this is not a priority for planners and landowners in enough cases. Tree canopy is a significant public good that should be fairly and reasonably regulated.
The net result of landscape design for commercial and institutional sites (and in many residential developments) is very often some combination of suboptimal plant selection for the open, harsh sun and wind conditions that will characterize the site, planting in poorly draining, inadequately amended media that is devoid of topsoil (which is usually stripped and removed during site demolition), and maintenance practices which focus on mowing and fertilizing turf, mulching (and over-mulching, because it is good business for commercial maintenance firms), bulk-pruning twice a year, over-irrigating (by not adjusting application rates after the initial period) if there is irrigation (and when it’s not the palette of durable options is limited), and spraying for insect and disease problem occurring because of the wrong-plant, wrong-place approach taken rather than one of true integrated pest management which would otherwise ameliorate subpar conditions. Wow, that sounds pessimistic. But unfortunately, after 18 years of first-hand experience, this is very often true when there is no landscape architect involved and / or an owner without an understanding and motivation to create a dynamic landscape, or a property manager (in the case of retail) motivated to create a place attractive to their targeted consumers.
I became an urban forester to become a better landscape architect - to integrate the processes of assessing a site to better value and determine which trees or tree stands might be best preserved, and then to design the development around them better. And understanding methods that lead to more success in preservation when the contractor mobilizes their materials and equipment on site. There are growing numbers of LA’s who have done the same, including some who previously worked on my team. I applaud them all. Today, I’m experienced in how development and preservation can work well. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of expert consultant leaders who really focus on this full-time (which I do not). They can be the tip of the spear in developing new methods and technologies, promoting and inspiring communities to do better. There are even fewer contractors who understand and can implement methods successfully, though the numbers have improved over the past decade as permit requirements have strengthened. All of these are very rare outside of the MidAtlantic in many areas of the US. There are many opportunities now - possibly in part as a result of COVID - for professionals and others to learn about many aspects of management of trees and their environs. Tree Fund is one, hosting regular online webinars. Trees Virginia is another which is local and has in person sessions. Urban foresters in the local agencies, as well as the Cooperative Extension Service (which has a branch in each county), are positions we fund through our tax dollars - they are very knowledgeable and good resource options.
My suggestions to help bolster the extent of healthy canopy around us, our collective general knowledge, and professional specialized understanding includes these points: 1. Tree biology should be a core part of school curriculum. 2. Many planners and owners should take a greater interest and commitment to understanding the benefits of trees and forest on their property. 3. They should hire landscape architects, tree assessors, and preservation experts early in the design process to extract the most intrinsic value from their sites, where appropriate, while contributing to a more fecund and resilient community. 4. Every contractor should have a qualified tree preservation arborist subcontractor whenever the larger team comprised of consultants and owners have determined there are existing which are to be protected. 5. The community at large should participate in the public review process (such as during special exception applications) and urge for more thoughtful incorporation of existing healthy canopy in redevelopment - not saving trees merely for their own sake, because that isn’t very realistic, but because many of our developments can be improved through the design and construction processes.
I welcome further discussion on this topic because it is complex and I certainly don’t have all the answers. I may also adjust my own perspective tomorrow from new ideas and considerations. There is no one right way to develop land, particularly something so unique to geographic, economic, and cultural conditions.
A heavily pruned row of alternating Red Maples (Acer rubrum) and River Birch (Betula nigra). The closest tree has a strap which will soon cause girdling and eventually kill the tree if not removed. The trees also have many wounds and poor past prune cuts.
104mm, 1/125s, f/8.0, iso 250
In terms of re-freshing and that verdant spring on the horizon, my family has recently enjoyed watching the Dulles eagles at the 149-acre Greenway Wetlands. Their one-ton nest sits atop a tree few miles west of the Wegmans Pears. The female laid two eggs recently and she is a very good mother-to-be, diligently incubating and using her hooked beak to pull soft grass bedding close to her body. Turning on the webcam and listening to the cacophony of woodpeckers, goose flocks migrating north, airplanes 3,000 feet above, the quiet din of rush hour traffic in the distance in the background is quite relaxing. Now that the community has decided on the parent's names, we look forward to (hopefully) seeing them hatch, grow, and fledge in a matter of weeks. That will be a very unique sign that spring has arrived.
Music used to create this post: The Suburbs (Arcade Fire), Some Cities (Doves), The Gash (The Flaming Lips), A Passage to Bangkok (Rush), Carolina (Eric Church), Love Song (Miranda Lambert), Take Me Home (Phil Collins)