Trees are interesting creatures. They come in many shapes and forms, some fragile and small, others enormous and strong.

But sometimes even mighty trees must have their branches pruned back a bit.

Over the course of the tree’s life, things happen. Limbs are damaged during storms and bugs or disease can cause once strong branches to whither.

Eventually, if the damage is severe enough or the disease mature enough the only way to save the tree is to perform surgery, cutting away the bad to protect the good.

It’s almost ironic; destruction is necessary for growth and survival.

Trees are much like city neighborhoods in that respect. Sometimes paring back the decay is necessary.

The City of Natchez this week began tearing down a few houses that had been marked as being blighted years ago. The long process of attempting to get the owners to clean up the properties proved fruitless.

The city’s only option was to order the properties destroyed.

That may seem like a harsh thing when viewing it from arm’s length, but when one of these properties is across the street from your own house, the pruning saw is in a different hand entirely.

We’re happy the city is finally moving out with plans to clean up some neighborhoods that have endured having horrible neighbors for far too long.

As beautiful as Natchez is, its beauty will become more polished as the time between prunings is diminished.