Topping, cutting a tree's main branches back to stubs, may look like a fast way to reduce height, but it causes damage that shows up for years afterward.
Each stub cut opens a direct path for decay into the trunk, and the fast, weakly attached regrowth that follows is often more likely to fail in a storm than the original branches were.
Proper crown reduction takes more time and skill, making cuts back to a lateral branch strong enough to support new growth, which protects the tree's structure for the long term.
Frederick County homeowners with a tree that was previously topped can request a health assessment to check for decay and plan a recovery approach.
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A real photo of stub cuts and weak regrowth from a previously topped tree, or a properly crown reduced canopy for comparison. Authentic examples are more convincing than a diagram or stock illustration.
Canva text suggestion: "Why Topping Damages Trees" or "Crown Reduction, the Right Way"