Severe Tree Pruning

A couple years ago, it seems that someone came through the neighborhood telling homeowners they had dangerous trees that needed to be pruned or taken down. One neighbor, apparently moved by fear or the low price, had a silver maple trimmed back to the trunk. The tree had a couple sprouts on its trunk last year, but otherwise no sign of rebound. The best one could say, on its behalf, is that it is storing some carbon, and may prove a good host for woodpecker food. Perhaps its slender shadow could be used to tell time.

Severe pruning is practiced in Europe, particularly along narrow city streets where trees need to be kept small, but obviously there's an art to it, and I have yet to meet a trained American arborist who would say anything good about the approach.