Is cutting a tree reversible? Several things come to mind, maybe not the same tree will grow back or not. Pls help. Thanks much.

Cutting a large tree DOWN, as in severing the trunk, surely is not reversible. We can't cut the tree down, then glue it back on. We can cut the tree down and some trees will sprout new growth from the stump. Cutting the tree trunk with a knife is not reversible in the sense that we can undo what we did but the tree can survive and repair the damage.

You are correct that cutting a tree down by severing the trunk is not reversible in the sense that we can't simply glue the tree back together. Once the trunk is cut, it cannot regrow in the same form.

However, it's important to note that cutting a tree down doesn't always mean the end of its entire life. Depending on the species and age of the tree, some trees have the ability to regrow or sprout new growth after being cut down. This process is known as coppicing or pollarding.

Coppicing is a traditional forestry technique where the tree is cut close to the ground, and the stump is left to regenerate new shoots. These shoots, also known as suckers, will grow into new stems, creating a multi-stemmed tree over time. This method is commonly used for certain tree species that have the ability to regrow from the base, such as willows, poplars, and some species of oaks.

Pollarding is another technique that involves cutting the main branches of the tree higher up, rather than the whole trunk. This promotes the growth of new branches from the cut points, allowing the tree to maintain a specific shape or size. However, it's worth noting that not all tree species are suitable for pollarding.

In both cases, the tree can indeed repair the damage caused by cutting, by sending out new growth from the remaining parts of the tree. However, it's important to keep in mind that this process takes time, and the new growth may not resemble the original tree in the same way.

So, while cutting a tree down is not reversible in the traditional sense, certain tree species have the ability to regrow or sprout new growth after being cut down, offering some degree of recovery for the tree.