People cut the tops off trees.
This helps new leaves grow back. It can help trees live a long time. We use the wood for many things. It is a smart way to help.
Do you like trees?
People cut the top branches off a tree.
This helps many new leaves grow back. It can make a tree live longer.
In the past, people used these branches for food. They also used the wood for fences.
Some people even used the wood for boats.
Today, people do this in cities. It keeps trees at a good height. It also keeps new leaves away from hungry animals.
This way of cutting helps other life. It lets more light reach the ground. This helps new plants grow in the woods.
Old trees may even grow hollow holes. Birds and bats can live in them. It is a very helpful way to care for trees.
Pollarding is a special way to care for trees.
People cut off the top branches of a tree. This makes the tree grow a thick head of leaves. This method has been used for a very long time. People in ancient Rome knew about it.
In the past, people used pollarding to get many things. They cut branches to feed farm animals. They also cut wood to make fences or even boats. Some people used willow branches to weave baskets. Today, people use it in cities to keep trees at a safe height. It can also help trees live longer.
This way of cutting helps many other living things. When the top of a tree is cut, more light reaches the ground. This helps new plants grow on the forest floor.
Old pollard trees often grow hollow holes inside. These holes are great homes for birds and bats. Many kinds of beetles and flies live there too. It is a way to help nature stay healthy and full of life.
Pollarding is a special way to care for trees.
People cut off the upper branches of a tree on purpose. This makes the tree grow a thick head of new leaves and branches. People use this method for many different reasons today. They might want to keep a tree at a certain height. They also use it to keep new growth away from hungry animals. This method can even help a tree live for a longer time. It keeps the tree in a younger state and reduces the weight at the top.
There are many steps to how pollarding works. The person cutting the tree removes the main top stems. This action triggers dormant buds under the bark to wake up. These buds then grow into many new shoots. Only certain trees can do this well. Trees like oaks, beeches, and willows have this special ability. If a tree cannot do this, it might die without its leaves. Some people only cut some of the new stems each year. This helps the tree stay healthy if it has been neglected for a long time.
This practice has a very long history. People in ancient Rome knew about pollarding during the 1st century BCE. In Europe, it has been common since medieval times. In old England, local people had a special right to do this. They could use the wood for fuel on common lands or in royal forests. This right was called the right of estover. In places like Epping Forest, most trees were pollarded until the late 19th century.
People have used pollarded wood for many different jobs. In the past, they cut branches to make fodder for livestock. This leafy material was called pollard hay. They might cut these trees every two to six years for food. For wood, they might wait eight to fifteen years. This produced straight poles for making fences or even boats. Some people used willow or hazel branches to weave baskets.
In Africa, people pollard moringa trees to reach the leaves more easily.
Pollarding also helps the world around the tree. When the top of the tree is cut, more light reaches the forest floor. This helps many different kinds of plants grow below. Old pollard trees often grow hollow holes inside their trunks. These holes are very important for nature. Many beetles, flies, and mosses live in these spots. Birds and bats also use the hollows as safe places to nest or sleep.
It is a way to help many living things thrive together.
Pollarding is a specific pruning system used to manage tree growth.
This method involves removing the upper branches of a tree. This action encourages the growth of a dense head of foliage and new branches. People use pollarding for many different reasons. It helps maintain trees at a specific height. It also keeps new shoots out of the reach of grazing animals. This practice can help trees live longer. It keeps them in a partially juvenile state. It also reduces the weight and windage of the tree's top section.
The mechanism of pollarding relies on a tree's natural biology. To perform it, a person removes the main apical stems, which are the top-growing parts. This removal releases the growth of many dormant buds located under the bark. These buds are called epicormic growth. These buds then develop into many new shoots. Only certain species can handle this process. Trees without vigorous epicormic growth may die if they lose their leaves and branches. Some smaller species might actually form a coppice stool instead. This happens when cutting the main stem stimulates growth from the base rather than the top.
Different types of pollarding exist based on the desired outcome. One type is used to produce fodder, which is food for livestock. These trees are pruned every two to six years to maximize leafy material. This material is known as pollard hay. Another type is used for wood production. These trees are pruned every eight to fifteen years. This produces upright poles used for fencing or boat construction. Some people harvest supple willow or hazel branches for weaving baskets or fences. In Japan, a specific technique called Daisugi is practiced on Cryptomeria trees.
Pollarding has a very long history. The Roman writer Propertius mentioned it during the 1st century BCE. The practice has been common in Europe since medieval times. In historical England, local people often had the right to pollard trees. This was called the right of estover. It allowed them to collect fuel from common lands or royal forests. In Epping Forest, most trees were pollarded until the late 19th century.
Today, the practice is used in urban forestry worldwide. It helps manage tree size and improves safety in cities. It can even rejuvenate certain species like the Bradford pear.
The practice has significant ecological impacts. When trees are pollarded, the canopy is reduced. This allows more light to reach the forest floor. This increased light can help increase species diversity in the understory.
However, if pollarding stops, the side and top shoots grow into large branches. This can limit the light reaching the ground, as seen in Epping Forest. Pollarding also promotes the formation of tree hollows and rot holes. These cavities are vital for many living things. They provide habitat for thousands of species of insects, such as beetles and hoverflies.
They also support lichens, mosses, and fungi. Birds and bats often use these hollows as nesting or roosting sites.
Many specific tree species are well-suited for pollarding. These are mostly broadleaved trees. Common examples include oaks (Quercus), beeches (Fagus), and maples (Acer). Other suitable trees include hornbeams (Carpinus), planes (Platanus), and willows (Salix). Even a few conifers, like yews (Taxus), can be pollarded. In Africa, the practice is used on moringa trees. This brings nutritious leaves within easy reach for harvesting.
Some pollards are even used as markers. If cut about one metre above the ground, they are called stubs.
The term itself has interesting origins. The word "poll" originally referred to the top of the head. To "poll" meant to crop hair. This idea was extended to the branches of trees and the horns of animals. A "pollard" was originally a term for something that had been polled, like a hornless ox. Over time, the noun became a verb: "pollarding." This practice connects human needs for resources with the complex biological systems of forest management.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (6)
More to explore
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.