Any tree care experts out there?

[golfgal]

Our neighbors have a nice maple tree in their side yard, which ends up due to how are yards connect being next to our front yard. They keep cutting this tree back so the limbs are only a couple feet long. They trimmed it back a year ago, then again this past weekend. Any idea of why they would do that? Right now it looks like they cut it back so far that it won't leaf out this year. I would ask them but they are not home right now. Just curious. It is a VERY pretty tree in the fall and I enjoy looking at it when the leaves change. I don't think they are trying to kill it off--if that were the case it is small enough that they could cut it down easily (it's only about 5' tall right now).

 

[The Mystery Machine]

It is called "tree topping". Some people believe that they have to hack their trees yearly.

It is not good for the tree and makes it weaker.