Tree Pruning
As I was walking back home from work today, I stumbled upon a scene that caught my attention.
The pathway was lined with trees that had clearly been pruned recently, their branches now lying on the ground, leaves scattered like confetti after a countdown party.
Unlike forest trees, which assume various forms or shapes based on their growing environment, trees in urban environments like Singapore need to be pruned for various reasons.
Young trees are pruned to direct their growth, ensuring that their mature form is structurally desirable.
The branches of roadside trees may be pruned when they grow into the path of pedestrians or vehicles.
Mature trees require pruning to remove dying or diseased branches, to lighten any heavy branches, and to reduce the wind resistance of the entire canopy.
So what can we learn from these pruned trees?
The trees, now bare in some areas, were not a sign of destruction but of preparation for future growth.
