This month, the city of Bowling Green issued a press release, written by the city’s urban forester Adrien Lowien-Kirian, encouraging residents and property owners to avoid tree topping.

Tree topping is the pruning practice of cutting off large branches or the top of a tree’s canopy. While this habit supposedly safeguards against falling branches or improves a tree’s structure, it actually increases hazards while permanently damaging the tree’s health.

According to the press release, removing the tree’s leafy canopy reduces its ability to photosynthesize. The tree becomes weakened without nourishment from the sun. Furthermore, exposed cuts are vulnerable to “rot, pests and fungal infections.” In an attempt to regrow, trees will sprout fast-growing but unstable branches, “limbs that are far more likely to break and cause future safety hazards,” the press release explains.

As an incentive to property owners, the release points to the unsightly nature of dying trees as well as the exceptional cost of tree removal or replacement after improper pruning.

Residents and property owners are directed towards ISA Certified arborists, trained individuals who can safely trim trees without inflicting harm.

The importance of healthy trees in a growing community like Bowling Green is undeniable. Whether it is boosting air quality, reducing runoff or even generating energy savings, Bowling Green should stay green: rich with biodiversity and a strong canopy.