Let $f: \pi \rightarrow \pi$ be a homeomorphism of the plane $\pi$. We define open sets $P$, called $\textit {pruning fronts}$ after the work of Cvitanović, for which it is possible to construct an isotopy $H: \pi \times [0,1] \rightarrow \pi$ with open support contained in $\bigcup _{n \in {\mathbb{Z}} } f^{n} (P)$ such that $H(\cdot, 0 ) = f(\cdot)$ and $H(\cdot, 1) = f_{P} (\cdot)$, where $f_P$ is a homeomorphism under which every point of $P$ is wandering. Applying this construction with $f$ being Smale's horseshoe, it is possible to obtain an uncountable family of homeomorphisms, depending on infinitely many parameters, going from trivial to chaotic dynamic behaviour. This family is a 2-dimensional analog of a 1-dimensional universal family.