SHERINSKI WARNS ABOUT TREE TOPPING

While Joyce Kilmer could not imagine a poem as lovely as a tree, Joe Sherinski cannot imagine anything more frustrating or sad than a tree killed by the process of "topping."

Topping is the drastic removal or cutting back of large branches in mature trees, leaving large, open wounds, which subject the tree to disease and decay.

"It's hard on a tree, it shortens its life span, it causes heart rot and therefore causes a tree to become dangerous," Sherinski said. "The people who prune a tree like that are convinced that it's the right thing to do. The idea came into acceptance with the general public, simply because it's so common."

It was topping that killed the pin oak in the lawn of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce office. The stump is now being turned into a work of art by area chain saw artist August Birk. Although a positive community treasure will come out of this particular event, Sherinski is quick to note the financial losses incurred by such a tree death.

He has worked in landscaping and tree appraisal and estimates that the two recently-deceased trees in the Chamber yard had a combined value in the $29,000 range. Instead of some $14,000 in positive value, the tree cost some $800 to be cut partially down. When the ill-fated pruning is figured in, as well as Birk's fee, the tree proved to be a financial liability rather than a valued part of the property.

More importantly, though, is the loss and disfigurement of the trees, themselves. The Missouri Community Forestry Council and the Forest ReLeaf of Missouri are both campaigning to put an end to the "senseless, obsolete" practice of topping.

The tree is pruned or sheared much the way a hedge is cut, leaving large exposed stabs. The practice is also known as heading, stubbing, tipping, lopping, roundover, dehorning or hatracking.

"In this instance a person thought it was the right thing to do," said Sherinski, a local authority on gardening and landscaping. "It was done unwittingly -- just a mistake. In this case it actually killed the tree."

He said that out-of-town tree-trimming companies tend to approach neighbors of customers and pressure them into getting their trees topped while the crew is in the area -- supposedly at a great savings. Instead they wind up with a sickly, potentially dangerous tree that will probably require more care than ever, in the future.

Jackson and Cape Girardeau both have "Tree City USA" designations from the Missouri Department of Conservation. This is partially due to city ordinances covering the care of trees in the community.

"Both forbid this kind of pruning," Sherinski said. "It only applies to publicly-owned trees, though."

Sherinski is not advocating government regulations on how private property owners must maintain their own trees.

"I don't want the government coming into my yard and telling me that I can't butcher my tree if I want to," he said.

He does hope the MCFC's "Experts agree: Don't Top your Tree" campaign will help educate property owners, though.

With proper pruning, an arborist will spend time carefully selecting and removing branches. Careful selective pruning retains the tree's natural shape and beauty. It is an important part of caring for and protecting the health of trees.

The MCFC and FRM, along with the Missouri Department of Conservation and the USDA Forest Service, recommend that landowners hire only competent, insured and certified tree care professionals and that they check the company's tree topping policy. "If they say 'top,' don't let them near your trees," the groups' brochure proclaims.

Topped trees can regain their original height in as little as two years, as the fast-growing, long and loosely-attached shoots grow. They actually become more susceptible to breakage and storm damage. Topping also injures a

tree, exposing wounds to tree decay and invasion from insects and disease. It may also reduce property values by marring the tree's natural beauty.

Information is available at www.arborday.org, www.isa-arbor.com and www.conservation.state.mo.us.

"It's a horrible thing to do to a tree," Sherinski said. "It's a practice whose time has passed."