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Cut off the branch beyond the undercut where necessary, to prevent property damage. <br />Branches shall be lowered to the ground by ropes and/or proper equipment. <br />Remove the remaining stub via a shoulder cut, as described above. <br />Removal of terminal (tip thinning and drop crotching) <br />C. Thinning, "Lace out' terminal portions of branches by cutting terminals back to laterals. (The <br />basal diameter of the remaining lateral should be 1/3 the diameter of the terminal being <br />removed.) Remove numerous small terminals and laterals rather than take out a few large ones. <br />D. Size reduction. To take out portions of the crown for reducing height, remove terminals back to <br />laterals. Each lateral should be suitably situated to serve as the new terminal, thus establishing <br />the crown at a lower level. The basal diameter of a lateral should be at least 1/3 the basal <br />diameter of the terminal being removed. (Laterals smaller than this cannot function effectively as <br />new terminals, and the effect is then similar to a stub cut.) <br />2. Branches that pose a threat to the health, safety, and welfare of the general public shall be removed. In <br />addition, branches that disrupt the aesthetic or general integrity of the tree shall be removed. Kinds of <br />branches to be removed: <br />A. Obstructing branches. Clear walks, traffic ways, buildings and other man-made structures. Clear <br />other trees, plants as needed. <br />B. Dead, broken, diseased or weak branches. (Also stubs left by previous pruners). <br />C. Crossing branches. This includes potentially crossing branches, also upright shoots (water <br />sprouts) and vigorous, and interior -directed branches. <br />D. Narrow crotch -angle branches. For most kinds of trees, branches with a crotch angle narrower <br />than 30 degrees should be removed. <br />E. Parallel branches. Branches less than a foot apart, which run parallel for several feet, may <br />eventually damage each other. The less desirable one should be removed. <br />Wind -breakage risks. Crowns that are too high and/or too dense should be thinned, and <br />sometimes lowered to suitable laterals. Reducing wind resistance by thinning out many small <br />branches is safer and better for the tree than taking out several large branches. <br />G. Branches, which disrupt tree form. Excessively vigorous branches, or those which run against <br />the general branching pattern, should be trimmed for better balance and shape. (This does not <br />mean the tree must be made perfectly symmetrical: asymmetry as such can be both attractive <br />and safe.) <br />3. On trees known to be diseased, tools are to be disinfected with methyl alcohol at 70% (denatured wood <br />alcohol diluted appropriately with water) or Clorox solution after each cut and between trees where there <br />is known to be a danger of transmitting the disease on tools. <br />4. Old injuries are to be inspected. Those not closing properly and where the callus growth is not already <br />completely established should be traced where appropriate if desired, for cosmetic purposes, the wound <br />may be treated with a thin coat of wound dressing. <br />All girdling roots visible to the eye are to be reported to a City supervisor. <br />