Pollarded Oaks In NW France

[ctreitzell]

So, after discussion with @all night moe and @stoveliker regarding a large white oak which “fell” or leaned all the way to gently resting on the ground in my orchard.

I said that we “should have topped it”and was advised topping would simply kill the tree.

Well, here in north west France (Mayenne region) the practice of pollarding these oaks has been continuing on for a very long time. Had I topped that oak, save for one or two substantial limbs, that oak might well not have uprooted.

I promised some photos, so I took a few local to me. Let me just say, this practice is everywhere around this area.

These are right down the hill from me. I saw these tops cut about 10 years ago. The folks who pollarded these left one or two major stands and took all the rest, likely long ago up in smoke.

Shows it well; all these have had all but one stand cut down…and these are not that old.

Just down the hill from me; these cutters were severe; we’ll see how these go…these were cut last year

This one in the middle caught my attention; it was completely topped

This hill across from my house; these have been seriously cut back at some time

Anyway, I will be back to post more examples