# Wrong Tree, Wrong Place



## BonsaiJedi (Sep 24, 2007)

Took this this past week at the PacNW ISA show in Corvalis, OR on the OSU campus. Giant Sequoia (~50" DBH!) under utility lines.
Seriously, what is wrong with people? :monkey: 

I'm sure this is an isolated incident, right?


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## SWE#Kipp (Sep 24, 2007)

I have seen more pics like that posted here, and don't get it why they just don't cut them down ,,,,,


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## TreeWizard (Oct 24, 2007)

Looks like the tree was there long before the power lines. I often wonder why more cities don't do what some local cities do, they require power lines to be run down the rear property lines.


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## 2FatGuys (Oct 25, 2007)

Simple answer: It's all about money.


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## beaverb01 (Oct 25, 2007)

What a shame. That is the same way the utility co. handles trees around my area. Nothing short of mutilation. Think about how that tree would look without the bush wacking.

Beaver


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## Evan629 (Oct 26, 2007)

i cant stand when the town "prunes" trees, more like a hack job


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## 2FatGuys (Oct 27, 2007)

I should get a picture of how they "trim" the trees along one fairly exclusive residential street here. Most of the trees lining this road are well in excess of 40"dbh, but the city and the power company have been spooked by ice storms and damaged lines, so they rape and pillage these trees about every 3 years.


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## Rftreeman (Nov 4, 2007)

not trying to stir up any thing but how else should it look with a three 24,000 volt power lines above it, the reason you see many trees trimmed as this one has been trimmed is due to the fact that the tree owner will not let the utility company cut the tree down, I trimmed for the power company for 12 years and was a supervisor for 5 years and you would not believe the people that wouldn't let us take the trees down, as for the power lines being under ground or on the back of the property, now around here, all new developments must have the lines under ground but the main feed line can be overhead up to where it enters the development. 

Most power companies are mandated by the government to keep the trees at least 6 feet from the power lines, who's fault would it be if your kid climbed a tree and got killed because some body didn't let the utility company trim the tree as needed, it would be the utility company's fault for not keep up to standard. 

afwiw: I am no hack, I was trained how to trim trees the proper way, sure side trimming is ugly but it has to be done to keep the power on and the public safe or the utility company can be fined, I've been called everything from a tree raper to a tree abortionist. Most people never think of their power having anything to do with their trees and vise versa.

plain and simple, most people have no clue, trees and electricity do not mix and there are times when they do try to mix and people like me MUST trim the tree.


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## cantcutter (Nov 5, 2007)

There is a street here in lexington that this picture reminds me of..... its a divided street with a green space in the middle and about 8-10 oaks that look just like the tree in the above picture. The power lines run down the middle and the city put up a sign at the end of the row of trees that say "NO TOPPING"..... I should take a picture of it....it makes me laugh every time I see it


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## 1953greg (Nov 5, 2007)

*rftreeman*

sickem!!!!   

been there done that for 14 yrs
i once had a guy try to deny access to the transmission lines behind his house. i explained that it was important to keep the row clear so his elec would stay on. he said his elec didnt come from them, it came from the ones in front of his house. go figure?????:bang: :bang: :bang:


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## Rftreeman (Nov 5, 2007)

I worked transmission lines for the last 3 years of my so called career and had to use my 36" master key (bolt cutters) to gain access to several locked farm gates that at one time or another had a lock on them put there by the power company but was removed by the farmer or someone else.


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## johncinco (Nov 6, 2007)

The stupidity is overwhelming sometimes. 

The power compnay or their contractors wont trim trees out of lines in advance, they wait until the tree comes down, pulls the lines down, and leaves 60,000 people without power for 10 days. 

They widened a street in town recently. Cut down all the trees that were in the power lines. Tore out the curbs and sidewalks. Widened the street, poured new sidewalks, moved all the power poles along the street, then PLANTED trees right under the new lines. In time the sidewalks will all have to be replaced as the roots buckle them. The trees will be up in the liines either causing blackouts or needing to be trimmed. Meanwhile every yard along the street has NO trees in the yards. 

I see stupid people.


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## Rftreeman (Nov 6, 2007)

johncinco said:


> The stupidity is overwhelming sometimes.
> 
> The power compnay or their contractors wont trim trees out of lines in advance, they wait until the tree comes down, pulls the lines down, and leaves 60,000 people without power for 10 days.
> 
> ...


again, not trying to stir the pot but, where I live, the trees are trimmed as needed or every 7 years, which ever comes first, if a tree falls or is blown over by a storm or pulled over by ice then that is not from the contractors neglect, there is only a 30 (15 on each side) foot right of way on distribution lines and 100 on transmission lines so there is no way to cut all the trees that can fall over and drop a line, if they did that then people would be complaining about them cutting to MUCH.......


when people plant trees under the lines then they deserve to look at a ugly topped and trimmed tree for the rest of their natural born life, that is pretty darn stupid, if you ask me.........


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