They shorten the lifespan of trees and create hazards: eco-inspectors comment on the operations of the "Nikolaev Parks" municipal enterprise.

Trees' lifespan is reduced, making them hazardous: Eco-inspection comments on the work of KP "Mykolaiv Parks"

KP "Mykolaiv Parks" claims that formative pruning of plane trees is taking place on Soborna Street in Mykolaiv. In response, the State Ecological Inspection of the Southwestern District wrote to the company's employees about the correct way to carry it out.

Inspection staff noted that according to the Rules for the Maintenance of Greenery in Settlements of Ukraine, formative pruning of trees is conducted in regular and alley plantings to preserve the natural or artificial shape of plants (columnar, conical, spherical, etc.), ensure the even distribution of skeletal branches, and for trees transplanted from the forest (with an asymmetrically elongated crown).

It is recommended to perform formative pruning in early spring, before the onset of vegetation (from the end of February to April). In regions with mild winters, where temperatures do not drop below -10°C, autumn formation after leaf fall is allowed.

Since the Rules do not provide sufficient information on formative pruning, the inspection referred to European tree care standards.
Shaping the tree's crown (trimming, pollarding, etc.) is a set of measures that irreversibly alters the natural architecture of the tree's crown. Pruning should begin when the tree is young and continue throughout its life. There are two main types of tree shaping:

Pollarding (knuckle pruning) – repeated cutting back to one or several points, resulting in the formation of growths ("knuckles").

Trimming – shaping hedges.

These two types have numerous variations. It is not advisable to start shaping a tree once it has reached maturity or later, as this causes significant damage and disrupts the balance between leaf area and root system.

"The use of artificial tree shaping, especially pollarding, can be confused with crowning. To secure the shape of pollarding, pruning must begin on a young tree. The main difference is that shaping starts on a young tree and is done with a clear long-term goal: to create a robust artificial crown structure that is reinforced with each pruning," the message states.

It is noted that the main differences between shaping and crowning are:
• It is performed on a young tree.
• Pruning is carried out regularly (at least once every 3 years).
• Small cuts are used (less than 5 cm in diameter).

Crowning (partial or complete) of mature trees without the intention of creating a fixed artificial form and without planning for subsequent prunings is considered poor practice. This should be avoided.

Crowning leads to large wounds and associated dysfunctions of trunks and branches, as well as their colonization by fungi. Crowning trees are essentially damaged trees.

An urban tree is both a result of human intellectual labor and a living organism.

"If it is pruned thoughtlessly, disregarding the tree's anatomy, shoots will sprout from the cut area that are weakly attached to the trunk. Such a tree becomes dangerous. This practice drastically shortens the lifespan of an urban tree," they added.