Canopy elevation and thinning is often prescribed to help increase the sunlight in the area shaded by mature trees. Canopy elevation is also known as “raising the canopy”, and it means to remove the lowest limbs from the tree to effectively increase the distance between the ground and the point at which the tree limbs start to branch out from the tree.
Elevating the tree creates more “head room” beneath the tree, and makes the area easier to mow and walk under. Canopy thinning helps by allowing for more sun light to filter through overly dense trees, and also benefits the tree by improving ventilation through the branches.