Crown Reduction

Information about crown reduction

When crown reduction may be useful

Crown reduction can be useful when a tree has become too large for its location, when the crown is in decline, or where selected limbs need to be reduced to help manage weight and wind resistance.

It may be considered where:

• The upper crown is dying back or showing signs of decline
• Dead wood needs to be removed and cut back to live wood
• Heavy limbs are placing stress on the tree
• The crown is exposed to strong winds or storm loading
• The tree needs to be managed because of nearby buildings, gardens, roads or boundaries
• A more controlled, balanced crown shape is required

Crown reduction is not tree topping

Crown reduction should not be confused with tree topping or tree lopping. Topping removes large sections of the crown without proper consideration for the tree’s structure, health or future growth.

With professional crown reduction, leaders and lateral branches should be pruned back to suitable side branches. As a guide, the retained side branch should have a diameter of at least 30% of the branch section being removed.

This helps retain structure within the crown and reduces the risk of creating unnecessary long-term problems.

Healthy trees and long-term management

Crown reduction is not always recommended for healthy trees. In some cases, reducing a healthy tree can encourage vigorous regrowth, which may congest the crown and create further management issues later.

For this reason, crown reduction on healthy trees should only be carried out where there is a clear reason to do so. In some situations, the issue is simply the wrong tree in the wrong place, so it is important to think carefully about what to plant and where.

Where reduction work is carried out, it may only be a short-term solution and could lead to further crown reductions in future years.

Wind, weight and storm loading

The crown of a tree catches the force of the wind. When strong winds catch the crown, this can cause limbs to fail, branches to break or, in some cases, the tree itself to uproot.

Crown reduction can reduce the size of the crown and lessen the sail effect, so the wind has less impact on the tree.

Wildlife and access considerations

Before reduction work is carried out on mature trees, the site should be inspected for risks and wildlife. This includes checking for bats, nesting birds and other protected species.

Tree reductions may be carried out by qualified tree surgeons climbing the tree or, where appropriate, using a MEWP, also known as a Mobile Elevated Work Platform.

Professional crown reduction by Norfolk Trees

Norfolk Trees was established in 2002 by Ashley Barnes and operates throughout Norfolk and East Anglia. Our tree surgeons are fully qualified for the work they undertake and have experience across all aspects of tree care.

Our work includes dismantling, felling, crown lifting, crown reductions, dead wood removal, formative pruning, tree surveys to BS5837, tree hazard reports, pest and disease diagnosis, bat inspections, stump grinding or treating and tree planting.

Clients can be confident in the quality of our work. Norfolk Trees holds £10,000,000 public liability insurance and all work is carried out to BS3998:2010.

In addition to domestic tree work, we undertake commercial work for local authorities, parish councils and other organisations, including the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, Breckland Council, Serco, South Norfolk Council, Broadland Council, NCC Highways, KierMG and Anglian Water, along with numerous other clients.

We are also approved by the Norfolk County Council, and are CHAS Accredited through the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme.