Gold Coast Tree Lopping Services
Tree lopping or topping is a term usually used to refer to the tree services industry as a whole. Tree lopping can be seriously detrimental to your tree’s health and its appearance. You should avoid lopping your Gold Coast trees altogether – consult with one of our qualified arborists instead and protect your trees.
The highly qualified arborists at Frontier Tree Services can help identify the potential risks of your trees and prescribe the appropriate work. Whether it be corrective pruning carried out to Australian Standards (AS:4373), or safe removal, our expert team can assist.
Why You Should Never Consider Tree Lopping On The Gold Coast
Lopping a tree is quick-fix, there’s no doubt about it, however, it is not an appropriate step in the long-term health of your trees.
What Is Tree Lopping
Lopping a tree involves removal of branches to a stub, essentially removing the top portion of the tree or the majority of its crown. In other words, removing the foliage necessary to achieve a desired outcome.
Lopping can shock the tree and result in the tree or branches dying back or producing poorly attached new growth as the tree attempts to compensate for the foliage that was aggressively removed.
This then leads to unbalanced, unsightly trees that are more hazardous and require more maintenance to remain safe. From our perspective and in practice, tree lopping is the expensive, cheap option – as it costs you much more in the long run.
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When Does A Tree Need Lopping?
Never. Unqualified tree services will use this method without proper consideration of its consequences. A tree should only be pruned, preferably by a qualified arborist. An arborist understands that the removal of a large portion of tree canopy causes many issues including that it removes its ability to photosynthesise properly, causing severe stress, from which the tree may not recover.
Should the tree attempt to recover with new growth too quickly this ‘reaction growth’ is often poorly attached and prone to failure. Further, large wounds left by lopping are likely to become easy points for decay to develop. A lopped tree requires regular maintenance, whereas a professionally pruned tree will need far fewer revisits. Lopped trees look unsightly, unlike a professionally pruned tree, which retains its natural canopy shape.
In short, a well-maintained, professionally managed tree will add value to a property; a lopped tree is simply a hazard.
Providing first class tree advice & maintenance services across the Gold Coast
Think Twice, Cut Once
If you have been advised that lopping is the only course of action for your tree, seek a second opinion. Once your Gold Coast tree lopping is carried out, there is no going back and its integrity and beauty can be destroyed forever. If a tree is really so unwell or unsuited for its surrounds, total tree removal is still a better course of action than lopping.
Engaging Frontier Tree Services means that you are able to secure expert advice from highly qualified AQF5 arborists. With extensive training behind them, our arborists can guide you to make informed decisions about your trees.
While a proper arborists assessment may be more expensive than the guy down the road with a chainsaw, it’s worth it in the long run. When pruned with care, your trees need less maintenance as they will grow uniformly and safely.
The Consequences Of Tree Lopping On The Gold Coast
Don’t just take our word for it. The following is a documented example that details exactly why you should never lop trees and why you should only deal with qualified professionals.
In 2012 our client (a residential complex on the Gold Coast) engaged the services of a local gold coast tree lopping company to carry out pruning work on 29 trees located around the site as part of their routine maintenance.
Unfortunately for our client, the tree lopping that was carried out came with a price. The company neglected to mention a number of highly relevant points:
the trees to be pruned were all classed as Protected Vegetation: All trees located upon body corporate land are part of the Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) Approved Landscaping Plan (ALP) for that particular site, and are therefore protected;
to “remove, damage or significantly prune” trees that are protected as part of an ALP, the body corporate must first make an application to council;
if the application details a number of trees, the council will often require a Tree/Vegetation Management Plan to accompany the application.
a Qualified Arborist (with a minimum Diploma qualification in Arboriculture) must prepare the Management Plan;
any pruning works specified within the management plan must comply with guidelines set out in the Australian Standard AS 4373 (2007) Pruning of Amenity Trees;
lopping of trees is not a recognised work specification within the Australian Standard; and
pruning work must be completed by a qualified Arboricultural contractor (generally a minimum of AQF Certificate III is specified in the Council decision notice).
As a result of these works a number of the trees died. Gold Coast City Council’s Development Compliance Department was informed and the client was instructed to obtain an independent arboricultural report. This report detailed the impacts of the completed work and provided recommendations for remedial work.
Ultimately, the Gold Coast tree lopping company that the client originally used faced significant fines and the client was out of pocket in excess of $20,000 in an attempt to recover the damage and appease council. The property was left lowered in value and appeal with years needed to recover the lost trees.
Choose Well, Choose Us
We will never claim to be the cheapest tree servicing company, but we will unequivocally claim to be the best. We are passionate about what we do, our top tier education as arborists is a reflection of this. We want the best outcome for you and your trees, every time.
At Frontier Tree Services, we know that proper care of your trees actually costs you less over time, making our advice a worthy investment. Avoid tree lopping companies on the Gold Coast at all costs. Call us today on 075574 4477 and avoid tree damage and unnecessary stress.
Call Today 07 5574 4477
For all your Tree Service Requirements