Pruning of trees

In the city, different requirements are important for tree management than in, say, a park. For example, the lower branches of trees in the city should not cause a nuisance to traffic. There are national standards for clearance height. Trees must also be checked regularly for safety. The city does this once every 4 years and tailors maintenance to the outcome of the inspection. Sometimes pruning is required, sometimes nothing needs to be done.

Pruning is preferably done as little as possible in the municipality of Zoetermeer. The municipality wants to preserve the natural shape of the tree as much as possible. However, trees must be safe for traffic and their health must be checked regularly. The pruning of young trees is therefore more intensive (companion pruning) than for mature trees.