Milling / transporting diseased trees - Do's and Don'ts

[glennschumann]

Hi all,

I've had a chain saw mill for about a year now, and I've used it for myself, but now friends and family have taken an interest. I now find myself 'offering' my services to them for trees that are often already dead. I'm looking for a resource as to what best practice is in terms of diseased wood... what species and diseases are 'safe' to mill?

I.e. the lightning struck tree should not be any problem, but can I safely mill dutch elm disease or oak wilt without exposing all the trees in the neighbor hood to the disease? What about clean up. Are there strategies to mitigate risks? Time of year, dust clean up, leaving trees stand dead for a year before milling, etc? I'm no arborist, but I do have a concern for the remaining trees.

I believe that it is an OK thing to give a tree a second life as a piece of furniture, but not at the expense of the rest of the trees in the woods.

I'm in SE Wisconsin, if that makes any difference for diseases to look out for.

Many thanks to the knowledge of AS.

Schumann

 

[Urban Forester]

It's not so much disease that is moved by firewood, it's insects. Most notably Emerald Ash Borer. The average size pick up truck can carry enough wood w/larvae to kill 15,000 trees. Right now Wisconsin hasn't reported a sizable infestation, however YOU WILL GET IT. It's only a matter of time. The number of white and green Ash you have will determine how bad it gets. If I where you I'd get used not not moving firewood. Letting your friends know would help too, in fact anybody who will listen. We have 15 million dead trees here and 80% of new infestations were caused by firewood. Milled wood is different though, since the conductive tissue is removed in milling the insect is destroyed also.