Tree surgery glossary Tree terms in plain English
The words tree surgeons use, explained simply, so you know exactly what you're being quoted for and why.
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The glossary in short
This glossary explains the terms used in tree surgery quotes and reports, from the work itself (crown reduction, thinning, lifting, pollarding, sectional dismantling, stump grinding) to the rules (Tree Preservation Orders, conservation areas, felling licences, BS3998) and the problems (deadwood, decay, fungal brackets, ash dieback). Every term links to the page that explains it in more detail.
- Work
- Reduction, thinning, lifting, pollarding, dismantling, felling
- Rules
- TPO, conservation area, felling licence, BS3998
- Problems
- Deadwood, decay, included bark, ash dieback
- Written by
- Qualified arborists at Clearcut Tree Surgery
The work
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Crown reduction | Bringing the height and spread of the whole crown back by a set amount, cutting to suitable side branches so the tree keeps its natural shape. See crown reduction. |
| Crown thinning | Taking out a proportion of smaller branches through the crown to let more light and wind through, without changing its outline. See crown thinning. |
| Crown lifting | Removing the lowest branches to raise the crown above lawns, drives, roads or buildings. See crown lifting. |
| Pollarding | Cutting a tree back to a framework of main branches and repeating it every few years. Only suits trees that have been pollarded before or are started young. See pollarding. |
| Sectional dismantling | Taking a tree down piece by piece from the top, lowering sections on ropes, where there is no room to fell it. See tree dismantling. |
| Felling | Cutting a tree down in one piece into a clear drop zone. See tree felling. |
| Rigging | The ropes, pulleys and friction devices used to lower cut sections under control. |
| Deadwooding | Removing dead branches from a living tree. See deadwood removal. |
| Stump grinding | Grinding a stump out below ground level with a machine. See stump grinding. |
| Stump treatment | Treating a cut stump so it doesn't regrow. See stump treatment. |
| Formative pruning | Shaping a young tree so it grows a strong structure. |
| Brash | The small branches and twigs cut from a tree, usually chipped. |
The rules
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| TPO | A Tree Preservation Order: a legal order made by the council to protect a tree or group of trees. Work needs the council's consent. See TPO applications. |
| Conservation area | An area protected for its character. Trees with a trunk over 75 mm across at 1.5 m height need six weeks' notice to the council before work. |
| Section 211 notice | The six weeks' notice given to the council before work on a tree in a conservation area. |
| Felling licence | Permission from the Forestry Commission to fell more than a small amount of timber, usually needed for woodland work. See woodland management. |
| BS3998 | The British Standard for tree work, which sets out how pruning and other work should be done. |
| Nesting season | Roughly March to August. It is an offence to damage or destroy a nest in use, so trees and hedges are checked first. |
| Right of abatement | Your right to cut back a neighbour's branches to the boundary line, but no further. |
Tree problems
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Ash dieback | A fungal disease killing many ash trees in the UK, which makes them brittle and dangerous over time. |
| Bracket fungus | A shelf-like fungus on the trunk or base, often a sign of decay inside. See tree inspections. |
| Decay | Rot inside the wood, which weakens the tree. Often hidden, found by sounding the stem. |
| Included bark | Bark trapped in a tight fork between two stems, which makes the union weak and liable to split. |
| Hanger | A broken branch caught in the crown, at risk of falling. |
| Suckers | Shoots coming up from the roots or base of a tree, often after felling. |
| Wind throw | A whole tree blown over, roots and all. |
Glossary questions
Anything not covered here? Ask us and we'll give you a straight answer.
What is the difference between crown reduction and crown thinning?
What does BS3998 mean on a quote?
What is a TPO?
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