To clear the vegetation near the wire, you often need to trim the branches of the tree, but now, a successful chemical experiment has completely upended all of this.
SA Power Networks said the results of the first 12 months of a three-year fungicide injection test to suppress growth hormone in trees had demonstrated the promise of the experiment.
In tree trials of Hectorville,Rostrevor,Campbelltown,Magill and Paradise, the chemicals slowed the growth of these species by 54%.
The preliminary results are consistent with the results of tree pruning in the adjacent Norwood,Payneham and StPeters areas, which can effectively prevent the branches from falling on-line, resulting in fire and power interruption.
If the three-year chemical experiment succeeds, SA Power Networks spokesman PaulRoberts said it would replace pruning in some areas.
Power companies have come under fire for cutting trees in recent years, with occasional "massacres", "devastation" and "madness".
"We found that the growth retarder was a targeted solution that could be part of a plant management plan," Roberts said last week.
"it is not that it will be widely used, but rather that it is being explored as an alternative to tree pruning, such as addressing tree problems in sensitive areas such as tourist areas (or high comfort areas).
The preliminary results showed that only red gum wood (Queenslandbox) and jacaranda (Jacaranda) did not react to the chemical.
But Mr Roberts is confident that things will change in the next two years.
The chemical, which has been used in the United States for decades, has been injected directly into the roots and has increased drought tolerance in some species.
Mr. Roberts said the process would not hurt trees, it would only slow down growth and not affect thickness.
"evidence from widespread use in the United States shows that it improves the root system to make trees healthier, which is particularly important for collecting water and nutrients from the soil," he said.
SA Power Networks trimmed more than 3000 trees in Campbell town in 2016.
In 2015, residents of StPeters and CollegePark protested against pruning street trees, claiming it had desecrated their neighbourhood.
NP&SP Senator Evonne Moor, then a member of the local neighborhood committee, also opposes cutting trees.
Last week she was "a little skeptical" about the chemical experiment.
"it sounds promising," Moore said. "but I have reservations about the use of new chemicals that have not been tested."
"the long-term solution to over-pruning is to bury deep wires to improve the health of street landscapes and trees, or to change regulations directly without having to trim street trees in a very unnoticeable way."
Preliminary results of chemical experiments show that most trees have slowed down by between 30 and 50 percent, for example, a 32 percent decrease in (Ash): growth in waxes and 55 percent in elm (Chinese elm): in China. But red gum wood (Queensland box) and jacaranda (Jacaranda): did not change.
SA Power Networks began pruning trees in the Norwood,Payneham and St PetersCouncil districts on May 22.
At the end of the week, Kensington had trimmed 110 trees.
Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Mayor Robert Bria said the committee hired a tree artist to oversee SA Power Networks's work.
"We respect the need for SA PowerNetworks to clean up vegetation, and we have always been concerned about the quality of pruning and the impact on the stability of the tree structure," Mr. Bria said.
"in some cases, the quality of construction is very poor, not only from the point of view of beautification, but more importantly, it destroys the integrity of the tree structure."
PaulRoberts, a spokesman for SA Power Networks, said the company must first make sure the trees stay away from the power lines.
Roberts said: "about 40% of the power outages in the area are caused by trees winding transmission lines.
The last time SA Power Networks trimmed trees in the area was three years ago.
During this period, a total of 6753 trees were pruned, some 58 trees were identified by members of Parliament as having sustained damage, and 14 trees were forced to be cut down.
Mr. Roberts said, SA Power Networks has been working to improve its pruning methods to reduce the impact on tree health.