Dear Editor:
The dramatic picture of the collapsed tree on page 11 of the June 22 edition shows the result of a common arboreal procedure used in years gone by - tree topping. Should a tree be too tall, under a power line or shading a house it was lopped off at the required height and the problem was solved. Not so!
With the top gone, the remaining branches grew latterly to a huge size; also, with the heart exposed, the trunk began to rot from the top down. Given enough time, these two events inevitably produced the result shown in the photo.
North Shore residents should be forewarned that this event will likely happen again. For comparison, check the chestnut trees in West Vancouver on 17th Street between Esquimalt and Inglewood avenues.
James Thomson
West Vancouver
