tree bark damage from bulldozer

[dweber]

We are building a new home on a wooden lot. While rough grading a buldozer bumped a tree. Removed a 2 foot piece of bark and scraped the underneath of the tree. Tree is standing. Doesn't appear to be badly damaged. However, I wanted to know if the tree could be patched? Is the tree likely to become diseased? Thank you

 

[Treeman14]

I was going to make some smarta** comment about your wooden lot. Sorry. In answer to your question, any time the bark or roots are damaged, it will hurt the tree. The question is, how much damage and can it be fixed? Some trees are better able to cope with this type of injury. Let us know where you're located and what type of tree it is and I'm sure someone here can help you. There is also a lot of unseen damage during construction on a wooded lot. Soil compaction is the worst, along with root damage from excavation, concrete washout, fuel and chemical spills, the list goes on and on. My hope is that one day, home builders will call the arborist before construction begins, not after the trees are damaged.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

My first reaction was "soil compaction!" this is the bane of trees on developed land, and the decline takes 5-8 years to show so the contractors never get blamed.

 

[Jay Banks]

If a piece of heavy equipment got close enough to damage your tree's trunk, you have several factors to consider.
1. tree species.
2. condition of tree before construction.
3. soil compaction.
4. extent of cambium damage.
5. drought conditions over the next few years.

I agree that and arborist should have been on board before you broke ground. But, I don't know how we educate the public to understand this.

Jay

 

[treeclimber165]

I agree with Jay. By the time the arborist is called in, all we can do is tell you what was already done wrong and guess how long the trees may live after being damaged.

 

[Jay Banks]

Yes, just once I'd like to be called in ahead of the dozers.

Jay
Certified Arborist
Urban Forester

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Come now, remidiation is possible if the vascular system has not been damaged too much. Especilay if it is recently done.

 

[Treeman14]

I agree, but there was probably more damage done than just the visible scraping of the bark.

 

[Deere John]

One other thing to consider, in addition to all the right stuff above, is to not cover the roots with more soil. Often, the guy an the 'dozer will have all the soil to get rid of from the basement, and he will spread it on 2' thick amongst the trees.

Two or three years later, poof, a tree job. Especially in maple, spruce, pine and birch

But, and I have done it a hundred times, it's pretty easy to promise that the owner won't see the stump when you're done. Just bring your shovel and axe and borrow their garden hose for 10 minutes.

 

[Dave]

Stopped by my nephew's new house yesterday, looks like he got the full package The lot is (was) on a slope so all that extra fill makes the backyard trees easier to climb. Trees left within 10-15 feet of the house. I think the species is barkless oak. Add a dose of soil compaction for good measure. At least his new neighbor tells me that he LOVES to drop trees so I guess all my visits down there will be social calls.