We have all seen the misshaped, strange looking trees that have been trimmed because they intrude power lines.

Because they remind Toledo Area Metroparks land management supervisor Tim Gallaher of similar-shaped sculptured Japanese trees, he nicknames those mutilated trees by the roadside “Bonsai” trees.

The only problem is, after they are cut by the utility companies, the Metroparks have to deal with what is left. Gallaher says most die because they have been severely stressed by the trimming, and now they have to be replaced around the perimeter of the park.

“It would make a lot more sense to remove them,” Gallaher said. “An option would be to plant some tree, like a dogwood, that would only grow so high that could create that buffer then we wouldn’t have that cyclical trimming.”

As a result, much of Pearson’s perimeter is being cleared, as are certain areas inside the park where dead ash trees, killed by the emerald ash borer beetle, have been removed. There is also evidence of damage by other invasive species.

“It’s not just the perimeter, but from the interior of the park in that direction, and then we’ll have a much more in depth plan for re-vegetating it from the trail system to the lake,” Gallaher said. “It’s two-fold. This park is very stressed around the perimeter. You know, we want to get natives back in there and/or, if we don’t use natives local to this area, we want to create some sort of buffer system between the trails and the road just for the park experience.”