Topping trees is one of the most common—and most damaging—forms of poor tree management in the UK. Often carried out as a quick fix for overgrown trees, topping involves cutting back large branches to indiscriminate stubs, removing much of the tree’s crown in one go.
While it may appear to reduce size quickly, topping trees causes long-term structural weakness, accelerates decay, and often leaves trees more hazardous than before. At Devon Tree Services, we regularly assess trees that have been topped in the past and are now suffering from instability, decay, or uncontrolled regrowth.
What Is Topping Trees?
Topping trees refers to the removal of a significant portion of the crown by cutting branches back to random points, rather than to suitable lateral growth. It is sometimes described as “lopping” or “heading back,” but the principle is the same: excessive removal without regard for tree structure or biology.
Under BS3998:2010 Tree Work – Recommendations, topping is specifically discouraged because it:
- Removes excessive leaf area in a single operation
- Creates large pruning wounds that the tree struggles to compartmentalise
- Disrupts natural branch architecture and load distribution
Topping is not a recognised pruning objective and has no place in modern arboricultural practice.
Why Topping Trees Causes Serious Problems
The immediate visual effect of topping trees may suggest a smaller, more manageable tree, but the biological consequences are severe.
Loss of Energy Production
Leaves are the tree’s energy source. Topping removes a large percentage of the canopy, significantly reducing the tree’s ability to photosynthesise. This weakens the tree and reduces its capacity to respond effectively to pruning wounds.
Increased Risk of Decay
Large, open wounds created by topping are slow to compartmentalise. This increases the likelihood of decay fungi colonising exposed wood, leading to internal structural deterioration.
Weak Regrowth
Following topping, trees respond by producing multiple epicormic shoots. These shoots grow rapidly but are weakly attached, as they form from dormant buds rather than established branch unions. Over time, this regrowth becomes prone to failure, especially in high winds.
Structural Instability
The combination of decay and weakly attached regrowth results in a crown that is heavier, less stable, and more likely to shed branches. In many cases, trees that have been topped become more hazardous than they were before intervention.
Why Topping Trees Creates Long-Term Risk
One of the most concerning outcomes of topping trees is that it often leads to a cycle of repeat intervention. Because regrowth is rapid and uncontrolled, trees appear to “outgrow” their space even faster, prompting further topping.
Each repeated cut compounds the problem by:
- Increasing decay pathways
- Further weakening attachment points
- Reducing structural integrity
- Escalating future management costs
In many cases, trees that could have been managed safely for decades through appropriate pruning end up requiring removal prematurely due to past topping.
The BS3998 Alternative to Topping Trees
Instead of topping trees, BS3998-compliant pruning focuses on defined pruning objectives that respect tree structure and long-term viability.
The most appropriate alternative is usually crown reduction.
Crown Reduction
Crown reduction involves selectively shortening branches back to suitable lateral growth points, reducing overall size while retaining natural form. When carried out correctly, it:
- Maintains balanced structure
- Reduces mechanical loading
- Preserves sufficient leaf area
- Supports effective compartmentalisation
- Minimises stress and future defects
Unlike topping, crown reduction works with the tree’s biology rather than against it.
Other alternatives may include:
- Crown thinning to reduce wind resistance
- Crown lifting to provide clearance without altering height
- Formative pruning for younger trees to prevent future conflicts
Each option is selected based on species, age, condition, and site constraints.
Legal and Professional Implications of Topping Trees
It’s important to note that topping trees can also have legal consequences. Where trees are protected by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or located within a Conservation Area, topping is almost always considered unacceptable work and may result in enforcement action or prosecution.
Local planning authorities expect pruning to follow BS3998 guidance. Poor-quality work, including topping, may be refused consent or lead to remedial requirements.
All pruning carried out by Devon Tree Services is undertaken in line with BS3998:2010 and relevant environmental legislation, ensuring compliance as well as long-term tree safety.
Why Professional Advice Matters
Trees that appear “too big” are often simply unmanaged or unsuitable for their location. However, inappropriate intervention like topping trees rarely solves the underlying issue.
A qualified arborist will assess:
- Tree species and growth characteristics
- Structural condition and defect presence
- Proximity to buildings, roads, and access routes
- Site usage and risk zoning
- Long-term management options
This ensures that pruning decisions are proportionate, defensible, and sustainable.
The Long-Term View: Manage, Don’t Mutilate
Trees are long-lived organisms designed to adapt, not to be abruptly reshaped. Topping trees undermines that adaptability and often leads to increased risk, reduced lifespan, and higher future costs.
By choosing appropriate pruning techniques, trees can be safely managed to coexist with people, infrastructure, and landscapes—without sacrificing health or stability.
Professional Tree Pruning in Devon
If you’re concerned about the size or condition of a tree, don’t resort to topping trees. Devon Tree Services provides expert, standards-based advice and pruning solutions tailored to your site and objectives.
We offer:
- BS3998-compliant crown reductions
- Tree risk assessments
- TPO and Conservation Area applications
- Long-term tree management planning
To discuss your trees or arrange a site visit, contact our team today.
Phone: 01803 814126
Email: info@devontreeservices.co.uk
