Tree crown lifting is the removal of lower branches to lift the height of the crown's base. It's carried out to increase the clearance between the ground and the lower branches. It's also used to reduce weight from a tree and allow more light to pass through the branches.

This process involves reducing the size of a tree's overall canopy; this is achieved by shortening the branches evenly throughout the crown. During this process, dangerous deadwood and crossing branches are removed or pruned to minimise the possibility of pathogens and disease infecting the tree.

Also known as hat-racking, rounding over, heading, or tipping, tree topping techniques involve removing the large branches from the treetop and leaving only lateral branches and stumps on the tree.