Tree topping

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/tree-topping

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?N/A (Tree topping is a practice, not a biological entity)
2. What is the practice origin?Historical, with roots in methods for wood production and size management
3. Why do people sometimes cut trees this way?People have used tree topping to make trees smaller for looks, to clear space for power lines, or to try to grow more wood from certain trees. But it is not a good idea for most trees.
4. How does tree topping hurt a tree?Cutting off the top removes most of the leaves, so the tree can't make enough food. The big cut also lets bugs, fungi, and bacteria get inside, and the new shoots that grow are weak and can break.

Terminal leader: The main, uppermost stem of a tree that dictates its vertical growth.
Adventitious shoots: Shoots that grow from unusual places on a plant, such as from roots or cut branches.
Coppicing: A traditional method of woodland management involving repeatedly cutting trees near the ground to stimulate new growth.
Ecosystem services: The benefits that humans receive from natural ecosystems, such as clean air and water.