Is there a reason for this?

[Dirtboy]

A few years ago a logger came thru the property next to mine and took some standing timber. Shortly after while walking the dogs along the property line I noticed that some nice sized beech trees had been cut all the way around to about an inch or so depth with a chainsaw and left there. The cuts were about waist high. As I'm sure this is bad news for the tree, I'm curious if there is a reason for this or was the logger just an arse? The property has since been sold so I'm sure the logger is not coming back for them.

 

[Whitespider]

The reason, as you assumed, is to kill the tree.
Hard to say why they (or whomever) wanted the trees dead... maybe some sort of forestry management program in the works??
*

 

[svk]

Yeah they definitely girdled them, not sure why they didn't just cut them down.

 

[midwest_170]

There was some government program that paid landowners to ring trees so wood peckers had a tree to peck in. Good use of our tax money right there!

 

[Chris-PA]

There was some government program that paid landowners to ring trees so wood peckers had a tree to peck in. Good use of our tax money right there!

I've got news for you - your tax payments are going to benefit peckers already.

 

[cantoo]

Back to nature trees.
Some people also girder trees that they plan to cut down later for firewood, saying it draws the moisture out of the tree.

 

[timbrjackrussel]

Back to nature trees.
Some people also girder trees that they plan to cut down later for firewood, saying it draws the moisture out of the tree.

Done this before the Emerald Ash Borer or Ash Yellows hit here. Let the tree dry on the stump for a year or two.
Works with White Oak as well.

 

[Ronaldo]

I have tried that ringing tactic with some of our "weed" trees, Thorny Honey Locust.
They just sucker up from the roots and around the trunk below the ring.

 

[1project2many]

Back to nature trees.
Some people also girder trees that they plan to cut down later for firewood, saying it draws the moisture out of the tree.

I girdle White Pine. Wait a year or two to drop it and there's no pitch or needles to deal with and the wood is dry enough to burn by winter.

 

[flotek]

As others mentioned When they " ring " a tree it's to start the dying process

 

[blacklocst]

Maybe its a wolf tree and cutting it down would trash other more valuable trees?

 

[Fred Wright]

Girdling creates standing dead timber, probably for firewood use when the land owner can get to it later.

 

[svk]

Just curious. I know that the majority of water goes through xylem/phloem. Does any water travel through the wood itself?

 

[ppkgmsy]

I've got news for you - your tax payments are going to benefit peckers already.

Hall of Fame post!

 

[Oldmaple]

Just curious. I know that the majority of water goes through xylem/phloem. Does any water travel through the wood itself?

Xylem is the wood. Water and dissolved minerals are transported up the tree in the xylem. Last 1 to 2 of the annual rings, so just under the bark. That's how a 1 inch groove cut into the trunk can kill the top. Certain species will then sprout like crazy off the trunk and roots below the girdling.

 

[Whitespider]

Xylem is the wood. Water and dissolved minerals are transported up the tree in the xylem. Last 1 to 2 of the annual rings, so just under the bark. That's how a 1 inch groove cut into the trunk can kill the top. Certain species will then sprout like crazy off the trunk and roots below the girdling.

Ummmm..... that's not quite correct.
Yes the xylem is the wood, it transports water with dissolved minerals and nutrients from the roots to the leaves... but not just the outer two annual rings, all of the xylem (wood) does. The leaves then use photosynthesis to convert the minerals and nutrients into sugars... which are transported to other parts of the tree via the inner bark (phloem). Girdling the tree does not kill the top by starving it of water, minerals and nutrients, it kills the roots because the phloem has been severed, thereby starving the roots of sugars need for life. The reason some sprout after girdling is a survival mechanism... the roots sense they've lost the supply line connection from the leaves (the phloem), so they send up sprouts to produce new leaves, creating a new supply line
*.

 

[sunfish]

We have 400 acres here and this was done in the 80s' before we bought the place in 1990. Not for the wood peckers, but for timber stand improvement Mostly Oak and we cut rung trees for 8-9 years. Some of the best firewood we've ever used!

 

[groundup]

It's a common forest management technique as long as the trees are small it's not dangerous. Creates a more open canopy and the standing dead timber is good for wildlife. It's also a lot less work then cutting down and cleaning up.

 

[Wildwinger]

One year, in April, the company I work for was hired to drop and process about 50 trees along a clients driveway

The client had chainsaw girdled each tree, we dropped them, skidded up the driveway, limbed next to a burn pile, and then bucked and split the logs

By the time we cleaned up the mess (the trees EXPLODED on impact) and regarded the driveway, it ended up costing him $200 a cord for 7 cords (we did stack it in his garage)

The wood wasn't dry enough to justify the mess, or the price, IMO. But that's what he wanted...

 

[groundup]

One year, in April, the company I work for was hired to drop and process about 50 trees along a clients driveway

The client had chainsaw girdled each tree, we dropped them, skidded up the driveway, limbed next to a burn pile, and then bucked and split the logs

By the time we cleaned up the mess (the trees EXPLODED on impact) and regarded the driveway, it ended up costing him $200 a cord for 7 cords (we did stack it in his garage)

The wood wasn't dry enough to justify the mess, or the price, IMO. But that's what he wanted...

Yeah it's not the best way to dry wood