Bur Oak with Included Bark Advice.....

[tshanefreeman]

Hello everyone. I'm wanting to pool the collective experience and knowledge of the group to aid me in decided how to approach the following tree problem. I have attached a few pics to illustrate what I'm talking about. The red arrows illustrate the relative path of the furrow/crack of concern. Due to the angle of the sun that day, some of the pics colors are slightly dull, for this I apologize.

Subject: Bur Oak (Quercus marcocarpa)

DBH: 36 to 40"
Height: 50' +
Relative Age: 175-250 years (They grow really slow up here, eh!)

History: This tree resides in southern Manitoba, Canada. (15 minutes north of the North Dakota/Canada border) It is on the boulevard on my parents front yard. This is the largest Bur Oak that I have seen and run into in the area.

Many years back, a distinct furrow was noticed below the co-dom crotch but I did not feel that hazard mitigation was warranted at that time. As seen by the attached photos, the angle of the co-doms is so aggressive that the tree is simply growing itself to its own demise! Yes, the tree should have been subordinated when it was a juvenile, but I wasn't around 200 years ago. Plus, this area was native bush growing adjacent to a lake. This tree was not planted by man, but it certainly has been a survivor.

This past summer, this tree was victim to a direct lightning strike. Bark was blown from the tree and could be found several hundred feet from the trunk. The main area where the bark came from was the area of buildup within and around the included bark of the co-dom crotch. This exposed the deep furrow even more. As a preventative measure, I placed three high tensile strength straps to help prevent the potential of separation of the co-doms. I did not want to rush ahead and start drilling, bolting, and cabling until I could see how the tree's health faired following the strike. As of fall, there were no visible signs of pre-mature leaf drop or tip die back. I honestly believe that the lightning just exposed the furrow/crack to the visible eye. I don't believe that it made the problem any worse or more hazardous.

Problem: For the area, this is a highly valuable tree ... especially to me! When the development was put in 35 years ago, the road was actually moved just to save this one tree. I don't want to rush ahead and invasively drill and bolt this relatively untouched specimen if others think there is a better approach. The furrow/crack is NOT open ... it does NOT open and close in the wind ... I can NOT hear it creaking. I would like to be able to remove the straps before spring. Due to the trees placement on the boulevard, I don't want the public to worry about their safety when walking by. They can see my bright yellow straps from blocks away and this gets them thinking. What they can't see .... you know how it goes!

What I Need: Your advice on how all would proceed if contracted to give your opinion. I'm trying to not allow my own bias to decide how I proceed. Please keep in mind that removal at the present time is not an option.

Thank you in advance for any input you can give me.

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[tshanefreeman]

Here the other pics....

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Thanks again

 

[newbym]

cobra cable?

Have you considered using a cobra cable system, or something like it. We use them out here and I really like them.

 

[JeffL]

Brace rods and a cable. Probably more effective than putting it through the log splitter for firewood.

 

[(WLL)]

brace the tree with threaded rod than about mid way use soft cable to keep the inclusion from any movement. imo it is best not pull the cable too tight or have any slack in it, just snug it up. for extra support you could add a cobra system with shock absorber high up in the canopy to back up the rest of the support system. be sure to set up some sort of inspection plan and charge accordingly. cable jobs only lesson the risk, no way, shape or form are they a guarantee. we offer free inspection but charge for any adjustments or repairs. you could spend half a day making a nice system with a turn-buckle for adjustment of the soft cable. imo the tree is worth saving!!

 

[limbwalker54]

I would go with the through bracing as mentioned. Add a standard cabling system at the 2/3 mark from the included bark. I like the other idea of putting a dynamic cable above that.

The tree is definitely worth saving.

I might recommend countersinking the hardware on this one. Bur Oak has very thick bark ridges and you would not want your cables to slack after all of that hard work.

 

[limbwalker54]

I forgot you also mentioned lightning strike.

It might be a good idea to take some soil samples now while it is still winter and put the tree on a fertilization plan to good growth. The strike is an added stresser, and to beef up the needed macroelements would be prudent. Check the soil for compaction as well. Being that the tree is along the boulevard, you might want to consider root invigoration.

Combing all of these things with the cable and proper pruning when needed and the Bur Oak should be around another 50 years at the least.

 

[Dadatwins]

Some brace rods and cabling will help get a number of years more out of the tree. Given the snow pile so close to the road I would think the tree is getting a steady dose of road salt so some soil testing and appropiate fertilizing will be a good idea. If the straps are under tension leave them on until hardware is installed.

 

[underwor]

Not generally a whole lot of salt used in this country. It doesn't work at the cooler temps too well. I like the idea of some cobra in top. If the bottom is not moving at all in your gentle Manitoba breezes, then it has a pretty good batch of reaction wood built up over the years. Lightning does not seem to have stressed it too much as there has been no die back. Since nutrients were fine before strike, I doubt it needs a lot. A big dose of N would tie up a lot of carbohydrates needed to help with stress management.

I remember seeing the tree and it is a nice one.

 

[TreeTopKid]

brace the tree with threaded rod than about mid way use soft cable to keep the inclusion from any movement. imo it is best not pull the cable too tight or have any slack in it, just snug it up. for extra support you could add a cobra system with shock absorber high up in the canopy to back up the rest of the support system. be sure to set up some sort of inspection plan and charge accordingly. cable jobs only lesson the risk, no way, shape or form are they a guarantee. we offer free inspection but charge for any adjustments or repairs. you could spend half a day making a nice system with a turn-buckle for adjustment of the soft cable. imo the tree is worth saving!!

everything you need right here.

 

[treesandsurf]

Fertilizer? Was not the direction I was thinking... personally, I would wait for the tree to leaf out to look for any signs of nutrient deficiencies, and then apply if appropriate. Chicken or horse manure would be ideal!

Nice presentation of the info and some good pics. Didn't think there was a crack until I saw the last pic; per the BMP's it seems more appropriate to brace with minimum one bolt at union (possibly more?) and then steel cable up top. Use rigguy to minimize size of drillings.

jp

 

[treeclimber101]

Fertilizer? Was not the direction I was thinking... personally, I would wait for the tree to leaf out to look for any signs of nutrient deficiencies, and then apply if appropriate. Chicken or horse manure would be ideal!

Nice presentation of the info and some good pics. Didn't think there was a crack until I saw the last pic; per the BMP's it seems more appropriate to brace with minimum one bolt at union (possibly more?) and then steel cable up top. Use rigguy to minimize size of drillings.

jp

don't forget about future lightning strikes you may need lightning protection sure does stand alone out there

 

[TreeTopKid]

don't forget about future lightning strikes you may need lightning protection sure does stand alone out there

PING! Genius! I was at a lecture about lightening and the speaker said if has been struck by lightening once, and survived it may well be struck again. This guy was from Florida and is the go to guy for lightning. If the conditions were right the first time they will be again.

It's like the Yellowstone Park Ranger that was killed when he was struck by lightning for the THIRTEENTH time. This is in The Guinness Book of Records .

 

[treeclimber101]

PING! Genius! I was at a lecture about lightening and the speaker said if has been struck by lightening once, and survived it may well be struck again. This guy was from Florida and is the go to guy for lightning. If the conditions were right the first time they will be again.

It's like the Yellowstone Park Ranger that was killed when he was struck by lightning for the THIRTEENTH time. This is in The Guinness Book of Records .

yea you know that tree is getting alot of water right of that sewer that it poked through ten years ago thats tied to the man hole covers etc.

 

[treeclimber101]

yea you also wanna skip on anything metal more than 2/3 high you might as well and go rubber no rigguy

 

[treeseer]

assess lightning damage by climbing and tapping bark for hollows. 'wait and see' not smart practice--for a tree that old it will take many years for damage to show. Immediately support with brace and cable per standards and bmp's.$20 for the pair of references; know them before you plan to or not to use them.

the straps squeezing cambium 360 degrees x 2 is far worse damage than drilling 3 holes would be.

Lightning-Struck Tree Assessment and Mitigation.

When lightning strikes a tree, the owner will often assign an arborist to help determine the appropriate response. Depending on the tree and on the arborist, what they hear will range from “It’s going to die, so we should remove it”, to ”It looks okay for now, let’s wait and see.” Neither of these extremes adequately addresses the owner’s or the tree’s needs. Both responses neglect basic tree care techniques that assess and mitigate lightning damage:

1. Bark inspection. Tap the bark with a mallet to determine whether it is detached from the wood. Measure the detached areas. Probe any cracks in the xylem with a thin instrument to determine the depth. If the damage to the lower trunk is not extensive, inspect the crown.
2. It is essential to check the scaffold attachments. As with Tree #263m bark injury is most severe above these forks. If bark there is still attached, the prognosis for recovery may be very good. Consider the species’ relative tolerance to lightning strikes, based on its compartmentalization qualities, grain pattern, and genetic vigor.
3. Consider the individual specimen’s vitality, and its location relative to people and property. Assess the risk.

Present management options to the owner, providing a prognosis of recovery if treatments move forward. If the client is an insurance company, the arborist is often asked to make a recommendation because the tree work is part of a claim. If the owner decides the risk is acceptable, these steps can be taken:

1. Reattach the bark if it is still moist inside. Thin bark may move enough if it is wrapped tightly for a few weeks. Thicker bark may be reattached with fasteners such as staples.
2. If the bark cannot be reattached, it should be trimmed—“traced”—back to the point where it is attached to the xylem, so there will be no hollow area as callus tissue grows over the wound. This applies to all the bark, from the top of the tree down to the buttress roots.
3. The exposed wood should be treated to repel insects. Reapply as needed.
4. The soil around the roots, especially those that carried the current, should be aerated as needed and inoculated with beneficial microorganisms such as mycorrhizal fungi. Any mineral element that is lacking should also be applied.
5. Mulch the root system 2-4” with organic material, and irrigate. Roots damaged by lightning are at a high risk of drying out.

 

[JeffL]

Round these parts, at least the way I've been taught, we'd recommend 3 coarse thread rods, 2 below the crotch, and one above, in addition to the cable. Certainly any remedy you choose will be less noticeable than the neon yellow straps.

 

[tshanefreeman]

I would like to begin by thanking everyone for there input and comments. The overall consensus is much the same as what I had planned on doing. It is just nice to be reassured.

On large diameter, mature trees I typically prefer to brace with two staggered rods below the union and depending on application, one above. I have been putting alot of thought into using Cobra's dynamic system for added support of the tree. Tell me what you guys prefer and why. Dynamic or Static? I have typically stuck with static cabling systems that work in conjunction with threaded rod braces. I practice this approach more due to the relative smaller size of our trees and ease of access to materials. 75% of the time, the trees in question can be subordinated back on one leader to promote the growth of a dominate leader. Up here, Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) are notorious for included bark and co-dominant structure. I have great success with bracing splits and subordinating to promote single leader dominance. The brace acts as a crutch until the desired leaders becomes dominant. By this time the subordinated leader can be pruned into a supporting scaffold or removed entirely.

I will admit that I wasn't familiar with Rigguy's Wire Stops. Interesting concept and applications. I really like the idea of having no metal on metal contact points. Let me know how these systems are standing up in the field. How are you finding installation tensioning?

I would like to take a minute to further elaborate on the lightning strike. When this specimen was struck, there was a 1/2 ton truck parked adjacent to trunk. This truck's electrical was totally fried. Insurance had to replace all electronics (sensors, speedo, radio, etc.), the brakes had to be replaced due to weld spots, the two drivers side tires were also melted and blown out. Therefore the path that the lightning choose to get to ground was tree to truck to ground. You could actually see where the lightning blew pavement pieces out where it left the tire and entered the road. (I will try and get my hands on the pic showing the blown out pavement.) Due to this finding, I believe the damage to the tree was reduced by the change of the electricity's path. I also believe that the bark that was blown from the area of inclusion was most likely the area where the lightning left the tree to enter the truck. I know that the roots would have helped dissipate the voltage potential, but the potential within the roots was far less because of the trucks influence. Not too good for the truck but better for the tree!


I will definitely look into the macro and micro nutrient levels within the rootzone. However, due to NO browning of the turf, I don't believe that the lightning 'burnt' the rootzone. But I'll keep you all posted on my findings in the spring. I personally do not like to dramatically alter the rootzone of an established specimen. Especially with ones that are as large and mature as this oak. It's not a coinsidence that these giants have survived where they have for as long as they have! I will however aerate the area and then will decide how to proceed with fertilization. I'm an advocate for using organic and slow release fertilizers. I don't believe in shocking the system with instant gratifications. As per mulching this tree ... it's not practical to do the entire rootzone. The root system on this tree will be so extensive that the entire property as well as those of adjacent neighbors would have to be mulched. I'm pretty sure that there would be some public objections!

Thanks again for all of your input.

 

[tshanefreeman]

I have also considered the installation of a lightning protection system on this oak.

I agree that if a tree was vulnerable once, why would it not be again!

I would like to be able to install the system in an inconspicuous manner. Any input on this approach would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Welcome back Shane, long time no read.

First, for inconspicuous install, run it down the back of the tree away from the front door. Best thing. Study it well, the ground dissipation system is as important as the accumulator an conduction part.

On a health bur oak of this nature dynamic vs static is a horse a piece. These trees handle decay well enough that a few extra through bolts are not a huge problem.

Have you watched the crotch defect in a strong wind? These are flatland trees that are adapted to heavy wind. I've seen individuals that have withstood very high winds with ineradicable defects. (refer to Guy's comment on reaction wood)

It may be that a few cobra in the top (calculate weight load) are all that is needed to compensate for asynchronous storm movements that would be the most likely cause of failure. Since you cannot eliminate the risk of failure, and the probability may be very low, then just protect against the most probable causation of future failure for the location.