PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Christopher J. Luley
AU  - Susan Sisinni
AU  - Andrew Pleninger
TI  - The Effect of Pruning on Service Requests, Branch Failures, and Priority Maintenance in The City of Rochester, New York, U.S.
AID  - 10.48044/jauf.2002.020
DP  - 2002 May 01
TA  - Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF)
PG  - 137--143
VI  - 28
IP  - 3
4099  - http://auf.isa-arbor.com/content/28/3/137.short
4100  - http://auf.isa-arbor.com/content/28/3/137.full
SO  - JOA2002 May 01; 28
AB  - The effect of pruning on service requests, branch failures, and priority maintenance was evaluated in the City of Rochester, New York, U.S., using 8 years of historical data on street trees. Pruning, which was completed on a management unit basis, was evaluated by comparing pruned and unpruned management units. Analysis of service request data showed that pruned management units had lower forestry-related requests and fewer pruning-related requests from the public but not lower requests for branch-failure-related maintenance annually or during high wind events. Analysis of work history or work completed showed that pruned management units had lower priority maintenance after pruning but not lower branch failure rates. Branch failure rates averaged 7.6 and 6.5 failures per 1,000 trees annually when based on requests and work completed, respectively. On the average, branch failure rates during the leaf-on period were three times greater than when foliage was not present. These results will help other communities compare the relative effectiveness of their pruning program and provide a branch failure probability for managed street trees.