
Appropriately, this picture was taken on Halloween. The ‘DEAD END’ sign and cemetery beyond, which are visible to the lower left of the picture, were also coincidental. The several headless redwood trees are the primary topic. Obviously, they were decapitated because of the electrical cables above. Otherwise, redwoods with such healthily plump trunks would be rather tall by now. After all, coastal redwoods are the tallest trees in the World. Unfortunately for them and those who are now appalled by their disfigurement, reliable and safe electrical service is more of a priority than poorly situated trees. It is no fault of the trees. Nor should this atrocity be blamed on those who executed it. Their only better option would be complete removal of the subjects, and perhaps replacement with smaller trees that will not grow tall enough to get too close to the electrical cables above. Maintenance of clearance of the vigorously upright redwoods from the cables above is a chronic problem that must be morally challenging for the arborist who must perform the necessary procedures. However, removal of several such significant trees would be very objectionable to the Community, which is very likely why these trees remain, regardless of their severe and irreparable disfigurement. Application for permits for their removal requires posting of such intentions on the trunks of the subject trees, to which neighbors would very likely protest. None of this would be such a problem now if only trees that are more appropriate to this particular situation were installed instead! Did the landscape designer who designed this landscape even visit the site during the design process, or was it all done on paper in a remote studio? Why did those who installed these trees not foresee this problem and modify the landscape plan and species selection accordingly?