Have you ever seen someone hang their hat on a chopped off tree branch? Maybe in an old western film? Well, it’s not healthy for the tree – not the hat hanging, but the irreverent chopping.
The Colorado State Forest Service and the Alamosa Tree Board are hosting a day-long Tree Pruning Workshop on Tuesday, April 19 from 9-4. The morning session will be classroom style at the Alamosa Recreation Center and the afternoon session will be in the field (at two sites near the Rio Grande along State Street). We can car pool from the Rec Center. The cost is $10 – including materials and a wonderful homemade lunch provided by Audrey Liu and Jan Oen.
Are you a scoffer? Do you think it’s OK to chop off tree branches willy-nilly and that the tree will still thrive? Sure, you can hang a hat off of many trimmed branches in Alamosa. But this is NOT a good practice. Come find out why, and learn how to avoid harming trees when trimming.
I am so EXCITED! I’ve wanted to attend a pruning workshop for years and now we’ll have one here -- tailored to our local needs. Please contact the Alamosa State Forest Office at 719.587.0915 since space is limited. People keep telling me that local folks don’t sign up until the last minute – PLEASE, sign up soon so we can plan for you!
Vince Urbina, Colorado State Forester from Grand Junction, will present the workshop. Topics will include establishing a good tree leader and evaluating pruning needs at various stages in a tree’s life. Proper pruning early in a tree’s life encourages healthy growth and helps avoid costly pruning later. And of course, pruning a small tree is much easier than dealing with a huge one.
As I walk the streets of our city, I see many examples of improper pruning. It’s not just a case of being offended by looking at ugly trees. I’m also saddened by the damage – trees don’t recover well from poor pruning. And much of this destruction can be avoided! Visit the blog at AlamosaTrees.net/blog to view photos of improperly pruned trees.
THIS AND THAT:
“The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see Nature all ridicule and deformity, and some scarce see Nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, Nature is Imagination itself.”William Blake, 1799, “The Letters”