PARKS AND RECREATION
 Shiloh/O’Fallon SoccerThe O’Fallon Parks & Recreation Department is accepting registrations for fall soccer which runs from the first week of September through October. Practice begins in August. Children ages four through the eighth grade are eligible to participate. The registration fee is $35 for pre-K through second grade, $40 for third and fourth grade, and $45 for fifth through eighth grade. The fee includes the uniform shirt and socks. Participants who are not residents of Shiloh or O’Fallon will be assessed an additional $10 fee. Any registrations after July 31st are subject to a $10 late fee. You can register online at www.ofallon.org/parksrec or at the O’Fallon Parks & Recreation
Department located at 401 E. Fifth. For more information call 624-0139.
Cardinals Bus Tour
Join the O’Fallon Parks & Recreation Department and Jay Buckley Tours on a trip east as we follow the Cardinals on the road. Participants will travel by coach bus to Cincinnati to see the Cardinals play the Reds in three games. The group then hops on the bus and will make a stop in Louisville for a tour of the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory. Then, it’s off to Pittsburgh to see the Cardinals play the Pirates in two games. Also included is a City tour of Pittsburgh. The trip will depart on Aug. 9 and return Aug. 14. For more information call 624-0139.
Mighty Ball Soccer
The O’Fallon Parks and Recreation Department is accepting registrations for its pre-school soccer program that runs in Community Park on Saturday mornings from 9 – 10 a.m. The program will run Aug. 26 – Sept. 30, with no games on Sept. 2. Children ages three to five are eligible to participate. O’Fallon and Shiloh residents’ fee is $30 with all others being $40. The fee includes the uniform shirt and socks. Register on-line at www.ofallon.org/parksrec or at the Parks & Recreation Department. For more information call 624-0139.
Start Smart Golf
 Start Smart Golf teaches children ages five to seven and their parents the basic skills necessary to play golf. Utilizing equipment made specifically for their age group, children
who have never picked up a club will discover how to play golf in a fun and safe manner. This program will run on Tuesday evening from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., starting July 11 and ending Aug. 15. O’Fallon and Shiloh residents’ fee is $30 with all others being $40. The program shirt is included. Register on line at www.ofallon.org/parksrec or at the Parks & Recreation Department. For more information call 624-0139.
Save a Tree, Don’t “Top” It!
Topping of trees is likely the most harmful thing that can be done to a tree, yet it is commonly done by many homeowners and grounds managers. Why? Because many of us do not understand the true consequences of the practice, or we have  been given bad advice in the past.
What is “Topping”?
“Topping” is the indiscriminate cutting back of branches, leaving large open wounds at the end of the branches. Other names for this practice include stubbing, heading, topping off, round-over, and many more.
The practice will lead to the death of the tree! If not immediately, the end result will be a tree that does not live as long as it could have.
The practice results in large wounds that cannot heal over, resulting in wood decay and an access point for disease and insects. A properly pruned tree will have an opportunity to “compartmentalize” a wound to prevent excess decay and insect/disease transmission.
Topping immediately removes the majority of the leaf-bearing crown, which is where the tree will produce its “food”. The result is a dependence on the stored reserves that exist throughout the tree and root system. If the tree has been under stress, it may die outright, as a result of the tree topping practice.
Topping creates hazards! We hear the excuse that the tree is too tall and thus should be topped to control the growth. The tree’s response to being topped is to produce numerous new shoots to make up for the loss of leaf material. The majority of these new shoots will have poor branch attachment and experience quick growth. The result is a bushy tree that will have more hazards than when you started.
Topping is expensive! We have also heard the myth that topping will reduce the expense of pruning. However, topping increases the maintenance required and will have detrimental effects on your property value. A properly maintained tree will increase property values by at least 7-10%.
Topped trees are ugly. A well maintained tree will provide years of enjoyment and shade.
Alternatives to topping:
Hire a professional arborist to provide appropriate pruning alternatives. Ask for references and professional affiliations, such as the International Society of Arboriculture.
Remove the tree. If the tree is a large stature tree, but under utility wires or in a bad location, you may be better off having it removed.
Plant the right tree in the right location. At each planting location, “look up, down and all around” to avoid overhead and underground utilities, and to avoid any line of sight issues that may exist. If utility wires exist, plant small stature trees.
Many sources of information are available to help with any questions concerning proper tree care, including: Illinois DNR, Urban Forestry Division, U of I Extension Service, International Society of Arboriculture, Urban Tree Foundation, or the O’Fallon Parks & Recreation Department.
hat problems does topping create?
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