Years ago, I told my mother that there was absolutely no more space in her garden for more trees. Unfortunately, she still wanted Lombardy poplars. I agreed to plant some if I could cut them into firewood as they became too large. The trees grew quickly; but by the time the first one was ready for harvest, my mother had changed her mind and the trees stayed. Now she wants me to cut a hole in the driveway to plant a sycamore which I can cut down if it starts to raise the pavement. (Yeah, right.)

Every year, I get a notice from Pacific Gas and Electric Company informing me that it is time for the poplar’s annual maintenance. I usually call PG&E to be certain that the redwood, (which was not my idea either) is sufficiently clear of the lines and will not require any work. Although much more tolerant of severe chain saw abuse than most trees, poplars are one of the fastest growing trees and one of the worst choices for the easement. Ironically, the letterhead on the notice reads “PG&E - Vegetation Management - THE RIGHT TREE IN THE RIGHT PLACE”.

I hear many complaints about how the tree pruning crews who perform line clearance brutalize trees; and I know much of their work is not done properly. However, one needs to consider the alternative. Not only can poorly maintained trees in high voltage lines cause outages, but they can be extremely dangerous. Before I continue I should say that ONLY trained professionals should prune trees near high voltage lines!

I am not proficient in the physics of electricity to adequately describe the obvious danger of electrical shock. If I was, I still could not discuss it all in this short column. Many of my colleagues who have been certified by the International Society of Arboriculture as line clearance technicians have studies long and hard to pass their examinations.

As I look out the window at the void which was once my neighbors pine grove, I am reminded of another hazard. Rodents which commute on utility lines have no problem jumping from trees to television cable or telephone lines. If they jump onto a high voltage line, they form a circuit. Unless the specific rodent in an extremely good conductor, it is instantly electrocuted and falls, often flaming, to the ground. Although some might find this amusing, it can easily start fires, as with my neighbors pines.

Abusive “hacking” is often necessary for line clearance. In most situations, the improper cuts or stubs are not left intentionally, but because the priority is simply to clear the lines. PG&E can not always justify spending too much time and resources on proper pruning. It is often necessary to get an arborist to correct damage after line clearance crews finish. For example, my poplars usually get their tops cut off this time of year. In winter, I finish trimming the trees and dress the wounds left by topping by cutting them properly.

The best way to avoid problems with line clearance pruning is to use “the right tree in the right place”. Poplars are certainly not the right tree. Smaller trees which are below the lines at maturity are the best choices. Vertical tree with central trunks, such as redwoods may have limbs reaching towards electrical lines removed without causing too much damage if the trunk is at a sufficient distance to be allowed to continue up past the lines. Unfortunately, redwoods under the lines need to be topped and never develop as they should.

Palms are probably the worst choices for under high voltage lines. The Mediterranean fan palm is the only commonly planted palm which stays low enough to not cause any problems. All others eventually reach the lines. Unlike “real” trees, palms can not be pruned down. They only have one terminal bud each. If it is removed, the tree is dead. It is impossible for palms to simply divert growth in another direction. If a dead palm tree is not bad enough, the pruning crews only take what they prune clear of the lines, leaving the trunk.