Chewed Trees

SageMother · 23rd October 2007, 06:47 PM

Last winter was particularly hard, here in Denver. We have a family of squirrels that lives o our property and I think they have chewed at the branches, probably out of hunger, on a tree in our front yard.

The limbs that were chewed are bare or have dead leaves on them so they will have to be pruned, but is there any way to prevent the squirrels fro eating th bark without having to trap and move them? Will this tree recover or should we expect to have it removed because of the trauma?

Sean Freeman · 23rd October 2007, 09:48 PM

Its funny you should raise this issue of animals damaging tree bark, since just last week i was at a property in Burpengary Nth west of Brisbane looking at eucs with serious bark damage caused by horses.

But back to your issue of squirrels, I'm one of those people who actually loves squirrels (and yes i know they are a real problem in some rural areas) so I kinda think you're a bit lucky to have a family so close to your house...anyhow back to the damage...it would take an enormous amount of damage through the branches of the upper canopy of your maple before it became a serious issue. Post some pics if you can.....

Herbivores of all species do occaisionally chew tree bark, they are actually after the sugars in the phloem not the bark itself which is pretty much useless to them nutritionally, this does cause damage to the biological function of the tree, and its particularly bad for small diameter branches since there is not much volume to start with...bad for those branches but not necessarily serious for the entire tree. As for deterring the critters well there are many home remedies but personally I'd provide them with nuts in a caged bird feeder up high in the maple where you and your family can view their acrobatics as they feed (like I said I love squirrels!) if you make access to the feeder really difficult it cankeep you entertained for the 5 mins it'll take the squirrels to work out how to get them!

Here's some of the pics of the damage I assessed the other week....

Ekka · 23rd October 2007, 10:20 PM

Worked on a property down this way Sean and exactly the same ... the guy said it rarely happened in the past but this year they chomped the trees bad!

How long you reckon before they die?

Sean Freeman · 23rd October 2007, 10:36 PM

Hard call that one, owner of the property said the horses had been chewing off the bark on trees in the paddock for the 10yrs he's been there, and 90% of the trees looked great except for the appauling damage!

Remember its only the phloem being compromised so disconnection between leaves and roots, this means the roots decline slowly, struggle to regenerate, struggle to maintain fungal associations....spiral of decline. That Burpengary property was a major minature horse stud mega $$s so they have CSIRO provide annual soil testing and fert regimes for the horses and indirectly the trees ofcourse, this is doubtless delaying the impact of the phloem damage/loss. I'd expect the trees to begin to swell above the girdling and over the next 5-10yrs (depending on the size of the tree) for the trees to show signs of decline dieback and failure....but I could be way out they might continue on for another 20-30yrs if they are constantly supplied with fert boosts.

There's a great PhD thesis on wild horse damage to trees in NSW national parks...too big to post deals with the issue very comprehensively.

SageMother · 24th October 2007, 11:45 AM

Well I must say, I am glad these weren't horses! I am also glad to find someone who loves squirrels as much as I do. They are the little pets that I don't have to have inside!

I am going to start setting more food out for them and refill the bird feeder, which is always a treat. A couple of summers ago I caught one of the squirrels hanging from their toes and licking the seeds out of the "squirrel proof" feeder!

Sean Freeman · 24th October 2007, 01:40 PM

Yes they are truely amazing in their ability to gain access to food sources, in the UK many years ago there was a TV show base on the design and construction of a squirrel obstical course, then timing how long it took before the squirrels worked out a method of defeating the devices...it might still be shown every now and again truely amazing to watch.

DBS · 24th October 2007, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Freeman

Yes they are truely amazing in their ability to gain access to food sources, in the UK many years ago there was a TV show base on the design and construction of a squirrel obstical course, then timing how long it took before the squirrels worked out a method of defeating the devices...it might still be shown every now and again truely amazing to watch.

And here it is!!!

Squirrel Obstical Course

-Daryl

Sean Freeman · 24th October 2007, 09:49 PM

Ha!! nice one DBS

JayD · 25th October 2007, 12:18 AM

Your pictures are like seeing a bus load of people slowly dying on the side of the road and there's nothing you can do! Atleast this wasn't vandalism done by tree hateing scum out there, But it still hurts to see this, The nellies must be lacking something in their diet?? Dame Shame.
JayD

Ekka · 25th October 2007, 03:00 AM

Man, those squirrels are smart!

TreeCo · 25th October 2007, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Freeman

Hard call that one, owner of the property said the horses had been chewing off the bark on trees in the paddock for the 10yrs he's been there, and 90% of the trees looked great except for the appauling damage!

I've seen quite a bit of horse damage to trees here in the USA, but never like in those photos!

DBS · 25th October 2007, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Freeman

Ha!! nice one DBS

IS that the one you were referring to Sean?

-Daryl

Sean Freeman · 25th October 2007, 11:21 AM

That certainly is what I remembered, love the rocket sled! be good to have your own pet squirrel to get you those choc bars for free!!!

DBS · 25th October 2007, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Freeman

be good to have your own pet squirrel to get you those choc bars for free!!!

LMAO!! I was thinking the same thing!! hahahahahha

Ekka · 25th October 2007, 11:13 PM

Cheeky cute little buggers eh.

pomme · 26th October 2007, 01:06 AM

Bloody furry tail rats. i hate the flea infested things

Ekka · 26th October 2007, 01:08 AM

How do domestic animals like dogs and cats get along with those squirrels?

23rd October 2007, 06:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
SageMother Sappling Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 17	Chewed Trees Last winter was particularly hard, here in Denver. We have a family of squirrels that lives o our property and I think they have chewed at the branches, probably out of hunger, on a tree in our front yard. The limbs that were chewed are bare or have dead leaves on them so they will have to be pruned, but is there any way to prevent the squirrels fro eating th bark without having to trap and move them? Will this tree recover or should we expect to have it removed because of the trauma?

23rd October 2007, 10:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,606	Re: Chewed Trees Worked on a property down this way Sean and exactly the same ... the guy said it rarely happened in the past but this year they chomped the trees bad! How long you reckon before they die? __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

23rd October 2007, 10:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
Sean Freeman PDF King & Arborist Extrodinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Townsville Nth Queensland & Gold Coast Sth Queensland Posts: 1,649	Re: Chewed Trees Hard call that one, owner of the property said the horses had been chewing off the bark on trees in the paddock for the 10yrs he's been there, and 90% of the trees looked great except for the appauling damage! Remember its only the phloem being compromised so disconnection between leaves and roots, this means the roots decline slowly, struggle to regenerate, struggle to maintain fungal associations....spiral of decline. That Burpengary property was a major minature horse stud mega $$s so they have CSIRO provide annual soil testing and fert regimes for the horses and indirectly the trees ofcourse, this is doubtless delaying the impact of the phloem damage/loss. I'd expect the trees to begin to swell above the girdling and over the next 5-10yrs (depending on the size of the tree) for the trees to show signs of decline dieback and failure....but I could be way out they might continue on for another 20-30yrs if they are constantly supplied with fert boosts. There's a great PhD thesis on wild horse damage to trees in NSW national parks...too big to post deals with the issue very comprehensively. __________________ Sean Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper, That we may record our emptiness. - Kahlil Gibran

24th October 2007, 11:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
SageMother Sappling Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 17	Re: Chewed Trees Well I must say, I am glad these weren't horses! I am also glad to find someone who loves squirrels as much as I do. They are the little pets that I don't have to have inside! I am going to start setting more food out for them and refill the bird feeder, which is always a treat. A couple of summers ago I caught one of the squirrels hanging from their toes and licking the seeds out of the "squirrel proof" feeder!

24th October 2007, 01:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
Sean Freeman PDF King & Arborist Extrodinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Townsville Nth Queensland & Gold Coast Sth Queensland Posts: 1,649	Re: Chewed Trees Yes they are truely amazing in their ability to gain access to food sources, in the UK many years ago there was a TV show base on the design and construction of a squirrel obstical course, then timing how long it took before the squirrels worked out a method of defeating the devices...it might still be shown every now and again truely amazing to watch. __________________ Sean Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper, That we may record our emptiness. - Kahlil Gibran

24th October 2007, 09:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
Sean Freeman PDF King & Arborist Extrodinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Townsville Nth Queensland & Gold Coast Sth Queensland Posts: 1,649	Re: Chewed Trees Ha!! nice one DBS __________________ Sean Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper, That we may record our emptiness. - Kahlil Gibran

25th October 2007, 12:18 AM	#9 (permalink)
JayD Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 888	Re: Chewed Trees Your pictures are like seeing a bus load of people slowly dying on the side of the road and there's nothing you can do! Atleast this wasn't vandalism done by tree hateing scum out there, But it still hurts to see this, The nellies must be lacking something in their diet?? Dame Shame. JayD __________________ Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory

25th October 2007, 03:00 AM	#10 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,606	Re: Chewed Trees Man, those squirrels are smart! __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

25th October 2007, 11:21 AM	#13 (permalink)
Sean Freeman PDF King & Arborist Extrodinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Townsville Nth Queensland & Gold Coast Sth Queensland Posts: 1,649	Re: Chewed Trees That certainly is what I remembered, love the rocket sled! be good to have your own pet squirrel to get you those choc bars for free!!! __________________ Sean Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper, That we may record our emptiness. - Kahlil Gibran

25th October 2007, 11:13 PM	#15 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,606	Re: Chewed Trees Cheeky cute little buggers eh. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

26th October 2007, 01:06 AM	#16 (permalink)
pomme Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: england Posts: 218	Re: Chewed Trees Bloody furry tail rats. i hate the flea infested things

26th October 2007, 01:08 AM	#17 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,606	Re: Chewed Trees How do domestic animals like dogs and cats get along with those squirrels? __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors