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B. TOPPING AND HEADING CUTS Topping is the reduction of a tree's size using heading cuts that shorten limbs or branches back to a predetermined crown limit. Topping is not an acceptable pruning practice (see ANSI A300 Standards). Heading is defined as cutting a currently growing or one - year -old shoot back to a bud, or cutting an older branch or stem back to a stub in order to meet a defined structural objective, or cutting an older branch or stem back to a lateral branch (see ANSI A300 Standards). When pruning mature trees, heading cuts will be avoided for the following reasons: • Vigorous shoots can be stimulated to grow just below the heading cut. Typically, these shoots are weakly attached, poorly tapered, and have a high failure potential. • Wood decay can develop in the cut branch or stem. Often, decay extends well into the branch or stem and reduces its structural strength. This increases failure potential. • The tree's natural form can be lost in many cases, particularly when relatively large diameter cuts are made. In very limited cases, heading cuts may be appropriate for mature trees, such as: • To reduce tree height or branch end weights. Note: This approach will be employed only in cases where there is a high risk of structural failure and thinning cuts (reduction cuts) cannot be used. Also, follow -up pruning to minimize risk associated with weakly- attached shoots will be needed. C. STRESSED TREES Old, unhealthy, and stressed trees require special pruning consideration. Such trees do not tolerate the loss of leaf area as well as more vigorous trees: they take longer to recover from pruning, and their capacity to respond to pests and other injuries can be impaired. Removal of live branches and associated leaf area should be minimized or avoided. Generally, pruning should be limited to the removal of dead branches and significant structural defects. 4. Pruning Young and Juvenile Trees Multiple benefits can be achieved by pruning trees during their formative years. These include: • The establishment of strong structure with a commensurate reduction in failure potential as the tree matures. • Reduction of long -term maintenance costs. • Enhancement of tree longevity and extension of long -term environmental and social benefits. Young trees need to have a strong, well - established central leader, strong branch attachments, adequate spacing /distribution of scaffold branches, and temporary branches retained both between scaffolds and below the lowest scaffold. Although these structural characteristics should be established as soon as possible, training of young trees is an on -going process for most species. 5. Palm Pruning FLORIDA TURF AND LANDSCAPE RFP 12 -05 -01 Page 14 of 26