Drilling into a Cottonwood

steelhead1

California

I am designing a creek restoration project on my property and I have been told I can drill completely through a Black Cottonwood to anchor a dead log into the creek. Can anyone tell me if I can drill a 1" hole through the Cottonwood without adversely affecting the tree (i.e. susceptibility to disease or other potential problems) and placing threaded rebar all the way through the trunk of a tree? My instinct tells me that this would be harmful to the living Cottonwood.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Eric Frei

How big is the tree?

I'm not familiar with the species, I believe it's a softer wood poplar.

Of course the wound could introduce decay, of course the tree could engulf the rod (encase it/ grow over it) and wall off the decay.

The rod could also rust away, need to get galv, stainless etc.

Here in many trees I'd say no problem. Cabling, bolting trees has been done for years.

Is there no other way?

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pcarborist

Like Ekka mentioned the wound could introduce decay. Cottonwoods are fast growing and form big cells. These big cells tend to break down easily and cottonwoods are poor compartmentalizers. On black cottonwoods the scaffold limbs fail from poor attachments and internal decay and cankers may result in trunk failure not necessarily at the butt. They are also susceptible to root rot. My recommendation is if you want to save the tree is to sling the trunk or better yet construct a deadman outside the rootzone of the cottonwood to anchor the dead log.

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parkcityarborist

rbtree

Correct pc.....however, it is a cottonwood. Drilling through the trunk won't do much damage...and, being a weed, if it were to kill the tree, which is a remote possibility, a bunch of new ones will have grown up beside it.

pcarborist

Rb, I didn't say it will outright kill the tree, I inferred they could decline and/or fail over time. A good example, I know of some of narrowleaf cottonwoods that were topped in 1978 that are just starting to fail now (the USFS had to close the picnicground). The real question is "are there any targets?" If there are no targets then its a moot point.

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parkcityarborist

treevet

If they are taking the time to hang some kind of decorative log on the creek bed then my guess is there will be a trail to view it (target-hikers). I agree with PC in that if it is a poor compartmentalizer then a through bolt will bring on decay and right in a significant flex point on a tree that will get huge given the species and proximity to water.

Therrin

Why dont you use a type of ground anchor? Dig down a few feet and put in sonotube, fill with concrete, stick a eye-ring lag bolt or something in it and use that. Make it so not much sticks out and cover it up with something. Or bury it. Stick a dead log over the top.
Think of a solution to your situation that doesnt involve thru-bolting the tree.

Can you take a picture of the area?

Sean Freeman

Ken is right why be limited to only one solution to the problem apply your imagination and all the very extensive experience gained from decades of watershed management in the USA and Canada...there are a great many ways to secure coarse woody debris actually in the stream, any one of these or variations on the theme would work very successfully for you imo.

Tilia

you should post some photos of your creek. personally i would avoid the cable option. there is the decay reason,and visually unnatural. is more plantation possible or other options, or is this log important in some way Habitat or something. sounds like a big creek if a log can get washed away. good objective though bro