Question: what to use on "skinned" trees?

digApony · #1 04/08/10, 09:50 PM

Hi,

I'm having my property, mostly hardwood, logged by a private logger. He is what I call "select" cutting. And although he is good at what he does and careful, I still have younger trees that are getting hit and their bark "skinned". And it's Spring and the sap is running.

I am wondering what I should use to protect the tree until the bark heals or if it's possible or even needed?

My dad always used the black tar he mainly used to seal a leak on a roof.

I'd hate to lose my trees so I am very grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks,

digApony

where I want to · #2 04/08/10, 10:21 PM

The last I heard from anything like an official source, it is better to leave it to heal itself- that any tree seal will retard healing. If most of the bark is intact (not girdled) the tree, especially young ones have a good chance of repairing the damage.
The only thing I can think I might do is to use something to keep rabbits or such from snacking on the little trees if you have a problem with this just to give them the best shot of recovery.

digApony · #3 04/08/10, 10:32 PM

Thanks. I have heard the same and it sounds good to me. I've got ten acres I'd have to inspect and treat.

The trees I am concerned about are about 10 to 15 inches in diameter.

And the saplings I know I'll have plenty of those regardless.

Thanks again. I'll sleep better.

MaineFarmMom · #4 04/09/10, 06:15 AM

My husband is a forester. He agrees with where I want to.

ronbre · #5 04/09/10, 07:00 AM

we had a maple tree get skin damaged and split..what we did was try to put the skin back on where it was broken off and split and we duct taped it in place..so far the tree is still alive but generally if the skin is badly damaged the tree will die.

nothing you put on other than the original bark, will carry the sap..so if you can put the bark back on and it heals you have a chance.

if the bark is only damaged on ONE side of the tree, and the other side is still getting sap..the tree might live, albeit damaged..but if it is girdled all the way around it probably won't..try making bark grafts between the damaged area and the top where ever you can if you want it try to save it

foxtrapper · #6 04/09/10, 07:35 AM

Usually ineffective, but sometimes re-wrapping the skinnned bark and holding it in place with tape can work. No different really than taping down the skin on your own arm when you tear it away. And about as effective probably.

Getting hold of the thin plastic tubes they put around saplings will help a lot on protecting the trees from getting skinned in the first place.

Tricky Grama · #7 04/09/10, 08:10 AM

You can make a 'paste' called 'goop' by mixing water, compost, dry molassed & spreading it on. The actual formula is on the www.dirtdoctor.com site. Go to 'library' & I think its under 'tree goop'.
But, leaving it alone is good too.
Patty

o&itw · #8 04/09/10, 08:28 AM

Use pine tar. You can get it at a hardware or home improvement store. It will take more than one application, about a month apart if the wound is very large.

"Selectively cutting" timber is usually equivalent to a process called "hi-grading".
I hope you had your county or state forester in on the planning. Often the trees in a stand are more or less even aged. When one cuts the largest, thinking they are more mature, they are usually just cutting the best. The smaller (but same aged) stuff that is left is not younger but genetically inferior. It will usually not "grow" that well now that the forest is opened up, and since it will be producing the seeds for your next timber, you are propagating inferior genetics.

digApony · #9 04/09/10, 08:51 AM

Thanks so much. I haven't had time to walk the area, but what I have seen are trees that appear to be only brushed with a small amount of bark removed; scraped I guess would be the word, about three to four feet from the ground and only on one side.

I am only concerned about the trees that are approximately 10 - 15 inches in diameter; telephone pole size. I have plenty of sapling undergrowth and that has never been a problem. It doesn't take them long to renew. I have a young Amish boy that hunts on my land and I think he'll appreciate the new abundant undergrowth that will be up by the Fall.

Tomorrow I'll get up early, before he arrives and take a good look and if I spot severe bark loss on those trees I will do what you have suggested. If they are girdled I'll have him cut them down and I'll cut them into fire wood.

Thanks so much... and I'll let you know what I find... I guess I can also ask him to be even more careful... ??? however... me not knowing much about it, he is taking down some very big trees in a crowded area. My land has not been logged in 60 years.

He is paying for the logs and also removing the stumps in places where I would like to put a garden and the stumps surrounding my home.

Thanks again... digApony

wyld thang · #10 04/09/10, 05:34 PM

it sounds like he is doing a good job. telling him to be more careful would be nagging, sorry but there it is, there is only so much "careful" you can control when knocking down trees

omnicat · #11 04/09/10, 07:13 PM

Chiming in as a Certified Nursery Technician...

Covering wounds used to be the popular wisdom - but it is NOT effective, and in fact it can be worse than doing nothing.

I recommend leaving the damage open to the air, and allow the tree to deal with it as it is programmed to. People may benefit from dressings and coverings when we cut ourselves, so it's natural to think that perhaps trees would benefit too.

Here's more you can read on it from the Washing State University Extension office:

http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%2...d%20sealer.pdf

And a quick quote from that paper for those not wanting to read the whole thing:

Wound dressings DO:
• seal in moisture and decay
• sometimes serve as a food source for pathogens
• prevent wound wood from forming
• inhibit compartmentalization
• eventually crack, exposing the tree to pathogens

Wound dressings do NOT:
• prevent entrance of decay organisms
• stop rot

In short, they often do more harm than good, even though the intentions are good.

And BONUS: a lot less labor involved in not covering.

I would - inspect the skinned trees, and with a sharp knife or pruner, trim off any bark that is hanging, or otherwise pulled away from the tree. Basically clean up and debride the wound, and then let it be.

Old Vet · #12 04/09/10, 07:35 PM

Think of a tree as being a stack of soda straws. Once the bark is broken the straws on that part of the tree will not carry sap. There is nothing to do except let it go and make the best of what you have. It will never heal competently. But you can treat the scar and make it worse. You can expect to have some skinning every time you log or drag something through the woods.

digApony · #13 04/09/10, 07:41 PM

Okay, I took some pics for you to see.

I don't like it, but I guess it goes with logging. And today it's worse than I thought yesterday. So I'm relying on ya'll, the experts to tell me what to do if anything!

Question: what to use on "skinned" trees? - Homesteading Questions

digApony · #14 04/09/10, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omnicat

Chiming in as a Certified Nursery Technician...

Covering wounds used to be the popular wisdom - but it is NOT effective, and in fact it can be worse than doing nothing.

I recommend leaving the damage open to the air, and allow the tree to deal with it as it is programmed to. People may benefit from dressings and coverings when we cut ourselves, so it's natural to think that perhaps trees would benefit too.

Here's more you can read on it from the Washing State University Extension office:

http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%2...d%20sealer.pdf

And a quick quote from that paper for those not wanting to read the whole thing:

Wound dressings DO:
• seal in moisture and decay
• sometimes serve as a food source for pathogens
• prevent wound wood from forming
• inhibit compartmentalization
• eventually crack, exposing the tree to pathogens

Wound dressings do NOT:
• prevent entrance of decay organisms
• stop rot

In short, they often do more harm than good, even though the intentions are good.

And BONUS: a lot less labor involved in not covering.

I would - inspect the skinned trees, and with a sharp knife or pruner, trim off any bark that is hanging, or otherwise pulled away from the tree. Basically clean up and debride the wound, and then let it be.

Thank you very much! I posted the pictures before I read your post.

I came home this evening and was kinda shocked. It's my first time...lol. The link is very informative. I printed your post for reference.

digApony · #15 04/09/10, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyld thang

it sounds like he is doing a good job. telling him to be more careful would be nagging, sorry but there it is, there is only so much "careful" you can control when knocking down trees

I agree. No need to apologize. I asked for it and it goes with logging. And actually there is a lot less damage than what I've seen in other logging projects.

digApony · #16 04/09/10, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o&itw

Use pine tar. You can get it at a hardware or home improvement store. It will take more than one application, about a month apart if the wound is very large.

"Selectively cutting" timber is usually equivalent to a process called "hi-grading".
I hope you had your county or state forester in on the planning. Often the trees in a stand are more or less even aged. When one cuts the largest, thinking they are more mature, they are usually just cutting the best. The smaller (but same aged) stuff that is left is not younger but genetically inferior. It will usually not "grow" that well now that the forest is opened up, and since it will be producing the seeds for your next timber, you are propagating inferior genetics.

Well thank you for that information. There is a lot of commercial logging in my area of mostly hardwood forests. They clear cut and when the people complain the company explains that it is the best way to log a hardwood forest. They claim select cutting does more damage... I thought of that.

However, I might be okay as I have left an area "off limits" completely surrounding the area he is logging. Do you think I can still benefit from the propagation from the surrounding trees?

texican · #17 04/09/10, 09:00 PM

Letting hardwoods heal naturally might be the way to go... if it's a pine tree, over 16" wide, I'd recommend sealing it with sticky pine tar... personally I use roofing tar. It may 'hinder' healing, but without it, pine beetles will attack, and the tree is a goner.

digApony · #18 04/09/10, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

Letting hardwoods heal naturally might be the way to go... if it's a pine tree, over 16" wide, I'd recommend sealing it with sticky pine tar... personally I use roofing tar. It may 'hinder' healing, but without it, pine beetles will attack, and the tree is a goner.

Thank you. I have no pines in that area... not a one.

My dad always used roofing tar whenever he pruned trees or treated wounds.... mostly Maples.

And yes, I do have a lot of pine beetles. Nasty looking critters!

omnicat · #19 04/09/10, 10:35 PM

texican has a good point regarding the pine beetles. An injured pine in a beelte-area would indeed be a goner. Possibly with or without wound-covering...but at that point, you'd have nothing to lose by trying.

Glad it's not an issue with those trees. But that middle photograph - ouch! Looks like the bark is lost halfway around the tree. Don't think that particular tree will make it in the long run - no matter what you do.

digApony · #20 04/09/10, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omnicat

texican has a good point regarding the pine beetles. An injured pine in a beelte-area would indeed be a goner. Possibly with or without wound-covering...but at that point, you'd have nothing to lose by trying.

Glad it's not an issue with those trees. But that middle photograph - ouch! Looks like the bark is lost halfway around the tree. Don't think that particular tree will make it in the long run - no matter what you do.

Ya, I figured that. I already tagged it for fire wood. It's small anyway and doesn't appear to be much of a tree.

Thanks again. digApony