Prescription Pruning
We don't trim trees. We prescribe the work — cut by cut.
"Proper pruning is one of the best things that can be done for a tree; improper pruning is one of the worst things that can be done to a tree."
— Dr. Alex L. Shigo
The Difference
Before anyone touches your tree, we diagnose it and write a prescription — a precise specification of exactly what will be cut, where, how much, and why. The work follows the plan. Nothing is left to interpretation, and nothing is removed without a reason.
Most tree work is guesswork. Ours is a written plan.
The usual approach
"Prune per industry standards."
Most proposals say the work will follow accepted standards — and then leave every real decision to whoever is holding the saw that day.
That gap is how trees get topped, lion-tailed, and over-thinned. Not from bad intent, but from vague instructions that put too much guesswork in the crown.
The Root Cause approach
A prescription, written before the first cut.
Industry standards say what the finished tree should achieve. They don't say which branches to cut. We close that gap.
Every prescription specifies the number, size, type, and location of cuts — with clear limits on what may not be done. It's a documented, repeatable plan you can keep on file.
A doctor doesn't tell the nurse to "give whatever medication seems right." They write a prescription. Your tree deserves the same standard of care.
DIAGNOSE → SPECIFY → EXECUTE
What's in a prescription
Every cut is specified five ways.
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An exact count or range — so the scope is measurable, not a vague "Crown Clean"
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Reduction, removal, or heading — each chosen deliberately for the objective.
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Whether each targeted part is living tissue or deadwood — so only what's necessary is removed.
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The diameter range, kept small to protect the tree and limit decay.
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Exactly which branches, identified by their order and position in the canopy.
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Clear boundaries that may not be crossed — for example, no removal cuts on the main scaffold branches. The limits protect your tree as much as the cuts improve it.
How it works
From assessment to a tree that's better off.
01
We listen, then we look
We start with your concerns — light, safety, clearance, appearance — and reconcile them with what the tree actually needs.
02
We set the objectives
Clear, measurable goals: reduce these branches, improve this structure, create this much clearance.
03
We write the prescription
A documented specification of every cut and every limit — built on ISA Best Management Practices and the ANSI A300 standard.
04
The work is executed to the plan
The prescription is followed exactly. You get a copy for your records — useful for HOAs, buyers, and future care.