Saw a 200 year old oak get a proper crown reduction in Philly last week

I was helping out on a job in Rittenhouse Square, a big old oak that the city wanted trimmed back. The lead arborist on site was this older guy who's been at it for 40 years. He showed me how he marks every cut with chalk before he even picks up a saw. He explained how ONE bad cut can throw off the whole tree's balance for decades. I always thought I was careful, but watching him plan each branch removal like a chess game was wild. He told me most young guys rush and leave stubs that cause rot inside the tree. It was a real lesson in patience, and now I'm taking twice as long on my upper cuts. Anyone else have a mentor moment that totally changed your pruning style?

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jones.grace11d ago

One small thing though, a crown reduction doesn't involve branch removal at the trunk. You're cutting back to a lateral branch, not taking the whole limb off.