PRUNING SPECIFICATIONS All pruning shall comply with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 standards for Tree, Shrub, and Other Woody Plant Maintenance – Standard Practices. Pruning will primarily follow the guidelines for Maintenance Pruning as outlined in ANSI A300, Section 5.3.2. Palm Tree Requirements During the removal of fronds, seeds, and pods, the Contractor shall inspect and remove any loose petioles from all palm species. This requirement applies beyond the base of the frond growth. General Tree Pruning Trees shall be pruned to remove broken, dead, or diseased branches and to maintain safe access for public use and maintenance activities. The Contractor is responsible for implementing a pruning program that promotes natural tree structure, strength, and appearance appropriate to the tree’s location and function. Before beginning work, the Contractor shall prune one representative tree of each species scheduled for pruning as a sample. The Director of Public Works or designee will review and approve the sample; any required corrections must be made before full-scale pruning begins. All major pruning operations must be scheduled and approved in advance. Prohibited Practices Topping, tip pruning, and pollarding are strictly prohibited. All pruning must be performed by skilled personnel under the supervision of a certified arborist. Cuts must follow proper arboricultural and horticultural practices. Wound dressing is not permitted. Clean-Up Requirements All trimmings and debris must be removed and disposed of off-site at the end of each workday. The Contractor shall clean tire marks from hardscape surfaces (e.g., sidewalks, parking lots, curbs, gutters) before final payment is issued. Clean-up includes restoring the site to its original condition. Tree Support Maintenance The Contractor shall inspect and adjust existing tree stakes, ties, and guys as needed. Ties must be loosened to prevent girdling. Stakes, ties, and guys on trees older than one year shall be gradually removed. Broken stakes must be replaced. Tree Health and Safety Ailing or stunted trees that do not meet expected growth benchmarks must be reported to the Public Works Maintenance Supervisor. Raising lower branches on young trees is not permitted. Tree suckers shall be removed as needed. Lower branches may only be removed once the tree can stand independently without support. Any dead or detached limbs posing a safety hazard must be removed promptly.
