Tree lopping gets a bad reputation because it's done badly so often — stubs left, too much canopy stripped, trees left looking like hat racks. Done correctly, with cuts made to proper laterals and no more than a quarter of the canopy removed at once, it's a legitimate way to manage height and reduce risk.
We do tree lopping across Maketu and the Western Bay of Plenty. If a tree needs reducing, we'll tell you the right way to do it and what the result will look like. Free site visit — call 027 600 0446.
Crown reduction at Maketu is most appropriate for the non-native trees on residential sections — ornamental shade trees, pittosporum hedges, and introduced species that have grown beyond their intended size. For the pohutukawa and Norfolk pine that define Maketu's coastal character, we take a conservative approach: these trees respond poorly to heavy lopping, and significant crown reduction on pohutukawa is both ecologically questionable and subject to WBOPDC consent requirements. What we can do for pohutukawa that's become too dense or heavy is selective crown thinning — removing dead material, crossing limbs, and some of the more extended lateral growth — without stripping the canopy back to bare framework. For Norfolk pine, removing lower dead whorls is standard maintenance rather than lopping. On the residential sections away from the coast, where clients have pittosporum, cherry, or ornamental deciduous trees that have outgrown the garden, crown reduction is more straightforward. We reduce to a natural fork where possible and leave enough live growth to maintain the tree's health. All work in Maketu falls under the Western Bay of Plenty District Council. Consent requirements for coastal trees will be confirmed at the site visit.
CALL 027 600 0446 — FREE QUOTE