Japanese city saws off the tops of trees because leaves are a “garbage problem”

they are as bright as a blackout,,,,,,,,

great im sure it does wonders fo the air quality!

Someone needs a value system adjustment.

Ohh great, first we had an article about a man who carries his pillow everywhere and now this, this is really weird but funny.

They were doing this along scenic highways several years ago here in S.W.Pennsylvania. It took away so much of the beauty of the ride. (which we advertise scenic routes to view in the fall)
Many of the citizans and travelers complained and the answer we received was of safety!
Over hanging tree branches break and cause much damage through auto accidents and even deaths.Wet leaves are also, a safety hazzard as they cause loss of tractios for vehicles.
I just hope Japan doesn't ruin their centuries old Kyoto moss gardens.
Is it me or do those pix look like England and the US?

Trees DON'T need leaves, what you think all the trees die at winter time?... Leaves fall off in autumn, thats why its called the fall. The tops will grow back eventually, we are talking about people who have mastered botanical arts such as bonzai trees, in other words, they know WTF they are doing.

cuz u know, trees dont NEED the leaves or anything...

Crazy Japanese government!?!

comon people look at the picture those trees engulfed power lines!we cut trees everyday that endanger power lines....aint nutin compared to the trees we destroyed in ww2 with the nukes!by the way did u know the ginko tree was the only one to grow back by itself after the blasts.

ps notice the trees in background are not topped!

,,!! o.0

Nice job Japan, looks like shit.

I'm sure it is fine. They know what they are doing. The tree are just a lot bigger than Bonzi.

I have lost count on how many times I said WTF! Japan this year? But WTF! Japan...WTF?

they do it in Korea too

Well, that said, but thick-headed locals in the area can make things worse. For example, and this may be why the trees were transformed to cacti, someone living in the area complained that the branches from the trees were falling, along with leaves and sap, onto the cars. Now these would have to be some big branches to cause any kind of damage, but fearing some kind of lawsuit the council probably panicked and lopped off every loose branch they could find. Health and safety + selfish and paranoid citizens = streets lined with rather sad looking trees :(

Probably the result of inefficient/stupid local government officials. One of the great tragedies in life is that not everyone can be intelligent, and the dummies have to find occupations somewhere...

The happens all the time in South London. Lewisham council especially. Pepys Road in New Cross used to be a beautiful street, now it looks like someone planted cacti on the pavements.

The fact that the trunks have been left standing makes this look like extreme "pollarding". Fortunately trees are incredibly resilient. Unless ring-barked they will usually grow back.

Definition: In arboricultural terminology, pollarding a tree means cutting a tree back nearly to the trunk, so as to produce a dense mass of branches for aesthetic purposes. Pollarding begins on young trees, and the process is repeated throughout the life of the tree.

I guess Japanese children will be jumping into piles of rotting bark next fall.

It reminds me of when I use to only eat the tops of my broccoli ... just more environmentally detrimental.

So they did some landscaping...why is this a big deal?

Hmmm. Tree barbers run amok?

Nature makes leaves turn into beautiful colors in the fall and it was meant to be appreciated by us. It's sad that these people are so indifferent to the beauty they chop off the limbs. An ice storm left many of the trees in my city looking like the ones in the picture. We grieved at the loss of so much beauty.

I didn't know leaves, and the oxygen they produce, was such a problem. Who would have guessed?

Ive seen this in several cities in the States as well so I dont think this is something unique to Japan.

On another note I just got back from wandering part of the Japanese shore and seeing many Zold growth forests that have never been logged or had any trees cut down. Imagine...trees just getting old and falling down...dont see that much anymore. Every country has their good and bad parts so dont blame the whole country for one city.

THOSE GOD DAMNED LEAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

leaves disintegrate jus leave it i mean its pretty when it looks fall

wtf? without leaves the trees won't be able to make food and die.. they should of just shopped them down.. or just learned to clean their gutters and use a rake. ; )

Looks like a city got pissed off at Kyoto and decided to show how they felt about the Kyoto protocol. Why would you just kill all the trees like that?!

Now if they need inspiration for the next silent hill, they know where to go.

How to turn beauty to ugly. These people have it figured out. Sad.

this is just...not good for the air they breath haha! even though Japan is one of the cleanest probably...but still...

the japanese have room for no garbage and they recycle anything and everything possible, this makes sense

WTF, indeed.

Well, we've fixed the garbage problem of leaves.
People are also a garbage problem. Hmm, now, what to do with those people...

LOL srsly WTF japan. frickin..

fēng shuǐ gone wrong.. lol...

doshte?

Innovative solutions call for follow-up: why stop at the tops? With all those trees gone, the view will be much better.

Fascinating. And puzzling.