making snags...

[1I'dJak]

been awhile since i been on the site....anyways, got a little contract to help a guy make some wildlife trees .... plan is to climb selected trees, drill a hole into the stem insert a wooden dowel that's been innoculated with a fungus then put some plastic tubing in the hole so it doesn't seal up.... idea is that the fungus on the dowel infects and spreads in the tree and it eventually becomes a wildlife/habitat tree... the guy in charge has also experimented with shooting trees with modified bullets that contain a smaller fungus infected dowel...sounds interesting... post some photos when i get back....

 

[ASD]

that sounds like a slow way to kill a tree y not just spray with garlon or roundup ??

 

[WoodBurner44]

I am sure there is a reason...but why not just girddle the trees??

 

[1I'dJak]

idea is to mimic natural snag creation....girlding isn't any good as it kills the tree too quickly and the snag falls too soon...especially if its girlded from the ground....the fungus kills the tree slowly, allowing for insect infestation, bird boring and foraging, nesting etc...its in a second growth forest setting.... giving the stand a more natural structure.... so says the biologist/forester... its a BC Hydro sponsored restoration project....it'll be an experience and the pay's pretty good....

 

[clearance]

idea is to mimic natural snag creation....girlding isn't any good as it kills the tree too quickly and the snag falls too soon...especially if its girlded from the ground....the fungus kills the tree slowly, allowing for insect infestation, bird boring and foraging, nesting etc...its in a second growth forest setting.... giving the stand a more natural structure.... so says the biologist/forester... its a BC Hydro sponsored restoration project....it'll be an experience and the pay's pretty good....

Nice to see them spending money making better snags......as I have said here before, much of this province is suffering from a massive pine beetle problem. Some areas you can drive for miles alongside the powerline with thousands of stone cold trees beside it. Trees fail and nail the line constantly, only a matter of time until someone is killed or a huge fire starts, oh well, priorities, I guess.

Anyways, good for you Jak, stay safe.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I've heard of people making three sided bore cuts into stems to pop a plug out. Making an initial hole for critters to enlarge.

One I heard of would take limbs off, then chisel out the branch wood, trying to not breach the branch boundary.

Why do something that will outright kill a tree when you can make holes that the tree may be able to life with