Free street tree pruning workshop

By Jessica Antoine

With fall around the corner, learn proper pruning and tree care at a free TreeTalk workshop in Vancouver on September 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

The workshop begins at the the corner of McGillivray Boulevard and Briarwood Drive in the Cascade Highlands neighborhood. Participants will learn how to prune young street trees for clearance and structure along a one-mile loop.

The workshop will be led by industry professional and ISA-certified arborist John Buttrell, an Arborist Member of Friends of Trees and owner of Arborscape Ltd. Inc. Mr. Buttrell will provide a brief overview of proper pruning techniques and guide attendees in pruning street trees with branches hanging into the street and sidewalk. Trees should be pruned to allow an eight-foot clearance over the sidewalk and 12-foot clearance over the street.

“When pruning young trees,” Buttrell cautions, “it’s important to limb up over a period of years to avoid stress, sun scalding, or even death.”

Participants are encouraged to bring bypass hand pruners and gloves to the workshop.

This workshop is part of TreeTalk, a series of free, all-about-trees, educational workshops, presented by Vancouver Urban Forestry, a division of the Department of Public Works.

To ensure your place at the TreeTalk Workshop, register in advance by calling 360-487-8308 or emailing [email protected]. Space is limited.

–Antoine is Urban Forestry Outreach Coordinator for the City of Vancouver.