Urgent help for a girdled tree

[tigersdawn]

Hi, I'm hoping someone can please help us save a beautiful sycamore tree in the grounds of the building where my husband and I live and work. A neighbour has taken the extreme action of coming onto the property in the middle of the night and girdling the tree (or attempting to), there is also a strong smell of a diesel like fluid, possilby parafin. He has removed a two inch circumference of the tree's bark, and then cut a much thinner line into the the 'flesh'. This tree has been in the grounds here for many, many years it is some 40ft - 50ft tall, surely we can save it, we are willing to try anything.

The man in question will now be videod on the newly installed CCTV if he makes a return visit, the local authorities have been notified and will visit him accordingly we are told, in the meantime is our lovely tree going to die?

Its 1am Wednesday here, the damage was first inflicted on Sunday night, he returned Monday night to add the diesel/parafin.

Any help will be very gratefully received. Thanks for reading.

 

[treeseer]

If there is no poison in the damaged area, wrap it with clear film like food wrap to prevent tissues drying and dying.

Did it have a TPO?

 

[tigersdawn]

Hello Treeseer,

Thanks for your quick reply, the tree has a TPO and we have contacted the environmental protection team who said (via telephone) the tree will die, and that if we can get evidence they will prosecute to the tune of £20,000 per tree. That doesnt save this lovely specimen though, it is one of several forming a line along the walled boundry of the hall where we work.

Also the liquid seams to have been thrown at the tree and smeared across the cut, should I still wrap it, I was thinking of trying to jet wash it off with some household detergent and then try to form a bridge graft ( I'm learning, but not fast enough!) with some of the left behind bark - what do you think of that?............dawn

 

[pdqdl]

Before you wrap the injured areas, fill the area under the plastic wrap with peat moss. Tie it on with string, then wrap with plastic.

I have a 12" diameter oak tree that we accidentally stripped ALL the bark off for about 15" of trunk. It was completely bare, with no bark whatsoever! That was two months ago, and the tree still looks fine. Homeowner hasn't watered the peat moss for over a month now. We are still waiting to see if it survives.

 

[tigersdawn]

The wrapping will be done today, my husband has spent all morning jet washing the fuel away. So worst case scenario is that we will catch our friendly neighbour interfering with the plastic wrapping tonight and so have evidence to proscecute him.
An officer from town planning is being called in to decide the trees fate - I am keeping my fingers crossed and praying.
Thanks for your help, we had absolutely no idea what to do.

 

[treeseer]

Yes the moss sounds like a good idea.
In England they diagnose over the phone? Risky. Talk of a fine is meaningless without evidence strong enough to convict. You are right to keep the focus on the tree. Bridge grafting may indeed be good to try.

Hard to advise without a picture. And the tree is Acer pseudoplatanus, right>

 

[HorseShoeInFork]

Take the cctv back and get yourself a 30.06...........

 

[avalancher]

Take the cctv back and get yourself a 30.06...........

No kidding.Any animal that trespasses and destroys property no matter what his beef is should be dealt with in the most severe manner.

 

[Taxmantoo]

Take the cctv back and get yourself a 30.06...........

In Yorkshire? Shooting somebody whilst he is in the act of hacking you with an ax would probably be frowned upon over there. Shooting somebody over a tree would land you deep in Tony Martin territory.

 

[tigersdawn]

It's a deep shame that the British justice seems to favour the criminal, just today we have a debate all over the news about the gunman from northumbria who shot 3 people, killing a policeman, went on the run making threats then shot himself when the police had him cornered - the media here are now wondering if enough was done to help and understand this deranged individual whilst he was in prison making his plans for his release - its unbelieveable.

For my part, I dont think the CCTV will do any good as it will probably not to admissable in court ( it rarely is here ), but our tree killer knows its up and running, so far the trees look the same - except for the plastic wrap wound bandaging, so we are hoping he will take his chances and nip over the fence again, we have surrounded the tree with all sorts of nice surprises for him and are happy to wait and see him get his just desserts one way or another.

Thanks all for your replies, some good advice and back up, and some to make me smile. Cheers...........dawn

 

[ECRUPPRECHT]

why would someone do that what is the motive and what does it prove i just dont get it???

 

[avalancher]

As we say down here in the south, "ifn it was me...." I would drive some sixteen penny nails through a dozen 2X4's and bury them in the ground pointy side up and wait for the perp to make his way over to the tree in the dark.Or maybe even go so far as dig up some bear traps from somewhere and bury them along with the nail boards.

Once you got em secured with the trap,douse the guy with some gasoline,paste a big ole grin on your face, and with an evil laugh flic a lighter enough times to make him wet his pants.THEN call the cops.