Boutique

This book is intended for anyone interested in learning more about trees. The first of its kind, it explains how trees develop and their structure using only everyday language. It presents a few simple rules that govern a tree’s growth and influence how it responds to its environment. At what stage of development is the tree? Can it respond appropriately to pruning? How can one tell the difference between an aging tree and a dying tree? Under what circumstances is it best not to intervene on a tree? What are the consequences of an ill-advised intervention?
Tree architecture assessment is presented as a tool for observation and decision-making. It helps users make informed choices—whether selecting an intervention method to meet a management objective or a sampling method to conduct research. It is useful not only to technicians, managers, professionals, and scientists involved with trees and forests, but also to citizens concerned about the single tree growing on their property, who want it to be in top condition, strong, and healthy. The procedure for quickly and easily assessing a tree’s architecture is presented, along with the insights that can be drawn from this assessment. Recommendations are provided regarding the types of pruning to prioritize when deemed necessary, as well as actions to avoid.
The author advocates for intervention—or non-intervention—that respects the tree’s natural growth pattern, so as to avoid working against it through poorly targeted or overly drastic measures that trigger undesirable growth reactions, and instead to gently support it in order to derive the greatest benefits.