Fred and Ethel are homeless. For many years, the two squirrels, watched and admired by their human neighbors, lived in a tree in the Hiltonia neighborhood of Trenton, N.J.
In early September 2025, PSE&G contractors pruned the trees as part of regular maintenance to prevent branches from interfering with electrical wires.
After the pruning, Fred and Ethel’s nest was swept up in the debris. Having raised two litters of kits in that tree, they have since been seen roaming the neighborhood looking for somewhere to build a new home as fall advances.
One human neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous to speak candidly, said, “Did PSE&G ever see a tree they liked?”
The odd shapes of trees cut back around power lines and the fate of creatures like Fred and Ethel have prompted neighbors to ask whether the process is really necessary and, if so, whether it is being done properly.
John Anderson, a retired tree expert with years of utility experience, says power companies are required to check and trim the lines every four years to keep branches away.
Branches that hit power lines can cause power outages, shocks, and serious fires. With the gusty winds typical of the Mercer County area, the chance of branches hitting wires and posing safety risks-to humans and squirrels alike-is especially high.
Todd Wyckoff, chief of forestry management at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), says, “At the end of the day, the utility companies do need to maintain … the right of way around those power lines. That is based off of federal regulations.”
The PSE&G website says that contractors are required to use a technique called directional pruning to train tree branches away from power lines.
Municipal arborist Taylor Sapudar of Princeton, N.J., explains, “Directional pruning is an arboriculturally sound practice for encouraging growth away from the power lines.”
Brian McDonald, a forester with the DEP, says directional pruning is meant to combine proper pruning techniques with utility safety needs. He adds that a tree pruned at precisely ten feet from the power line might not be properly pruned.
“Ideally, the cut would be taken back to the next branch or a proper location based upon science. However, that might mean taking more of the branch than is needed to maintain the proper clearance,” McDonald says.
While Fred and Ethel’s neighbors worry that the directional pruning might make the trees unstable, the experts say the real threat to stability is damage to the roots.
Sapudar, the arborist from Princeton, says that strong roots are crucial to keeping a tree safe and stable. Many old trees have roots that have supported them for years and help them handle changes in weight and weather.
When roots grow strongly enough to push up concrete, they are often cut, buried, or covered with materials that keep out water and air, leaving them vulnerable to decay.
One approach communities are taking to address these challenges is adopting the “right tree, right place” concept. This means planting trees that match their growth habits and biological needs with the specific conditions of their planting sites.
The PSE&G website offers a list of such trees and suggestions for planting patterns.
On the Princeton municipality website, a table shows the results of a cross-reference between utility-friendly trees and those commonly available through local tree providers.
But for trees that are already well established, the PSE&G pruning, while it can make the trees look awkward or even displace small animals, remains an important part of public safety.
Another Hiltonia neighbor, who also asked to remain anonymous, says, “I miss the rustle telling me Fred and Ethel are home. I find myself whispering apologies to them, hoping they know we didn’t mean to be careless, just cautious.”
