Status of Girdled Trees Project

Back in May 2015 I girdled and applied herbicide to the large trees in this area in an attempt to create a grassland corridor between two areas of healthy prairie.  I thought it would be a few years before any of the killed trees began to fall.  Things are progressing much more quickly than I imagined.

In only a year and a half, about a third of the girdled trees have already fallen.  With one exception, all of the fallen trees have been Tuliptrees. 

Some of the trees dropped into the neighboring prairie.  Since this area is still being treated to eliminate invasive shrubs, I’ll remove the fallen trees to make it easier to find and destroy any invading sprouts.

The trees broke just above the girdle ring.  The girdling was done high enough on the trunk that a tall stump remains.  It’s best to leave the stump tall enough to be visible in the grass.  This way you are less likely to fall over or run your mower up onto the stump.

It looks as though the dead trees hosted quite a few wood boring insects.  I was surprised to see the extent to which the wood had been penetrated.

Woodpeckers appear to be taking advantage of the insect laden tree trunks.  I thought some of the trees were large enough to serve as woodpecker nesting sites, but I don’t think they are going to be standing long enough to serve that purpose.  I’m expecting this tree to fall soon.

In June 2016, about a year after being girdled, the Tuliptrees were still producing leaves on a few branches.  I was having some doubts that I had successfully killed the trees.

The trunks themselves gave some positive evidence that I was getting the desired results.  Impressive fungus growths suggested that decomposition was occurring beneath the bark.

A variety of fungus species were present.

I was impressed by the number of fungus species that were able to so quickly take advantage of the recently killed trees.

This area will soon be dominated by tall grass, but it won’t be without a few trees.  I have left several young Blackjack Oaks, Quercus marilandica, to grow among the grass.  Blackjack Oaks have a special relationship with several prairie invertebrates, and are well worth saving.  There won’t be enough trees left to hinder the growth of the prairie grasses, but there will be enough to enhance the quality of this small area.

You can read about the original girdling project by clicking HERE.  

Trees in a Clearing

I always enjoy running across a Beech tree. Across the entire property I’ve probably encountered fewer than a dozen specimens. This is a small example of the species, but it still displays a handsome collection of leaves beginning to show their autumn colors.

I found the Beech growing in this small opening in the cedars. The hole in the canopy isn’t more than 20 feet in diameter and wouldn’t take more than a couple of good trees to fill it. I wonder what the chances are that the Beech could win against its competitors and claim a position in the canopy.

The primary competition for sunlight is going to come from various oaks. This species can be particularly difficult to accurately identify. Although the various characters predominately point to Blackjack Oak, Quercus marilandica; this is a species that crosses to produce a number of different hybrids. Someday I’ll have to spend time studying the different trees to see if I can identify what types of crosses are growing here. Regardless of the parentage, these are rapidly growing trees that would have no trouble overtopping the Beech.

Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica, is a shrub that will not hinder the growth of the Beech. Maximum height of this shrub is usually around ten feet. The branches tend to lean as they grow, so most of the specimens are more sprawling than upright. As an understory species it often supports itself on the branches of taller trees and works its way upward in this manner.

Chinquapin Oak, Quercus muehlenbergii, seedlings can be found just about anywhere at Blue Jay Barrens. This species doesn’t seem to put on the rapid growth of most other oak species. Instead of racing toward the sunlight, Chinquapin Oak progresses slowly and seems to get left behind as stunted specimens in the understory.

Shingle Oak, Quercus imbricaria, is another fast growing oak species. The oaks already have a head start on the Beech and will probably end up shading it as they move to fill the available space. It’ll be a few years before a clear winner will be decided and it’s hard to predict the outcome with any real certainty. The competition should be interesting to watch.