What to do with this oak?

[andyk12]

Morning to all, I'm be grateful for some advice on this oak please.

As you can see from the picture this oak is struggling a bit (quite a lot!)

The farmer is thinking about removing it, I was wondering if it would be worth removing the dead wood in the hope of this improving the tree's health.....or is it time for it to go?

There are several healthy trees nearby but the area around this one's trunk is often waterlogged, I think the water troughs at its base leak - I was wondering if this could be the cause

Many thanks in advance for any advice

 

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, andyk12 said:

Morning to all, I'm be grateful for some advice on this oak please.

As you can see from the picture this oak is struggling a bit (quite a lot!)

The farmer is thinking about removing it, I was wondering if it would be worth removing the dead wood in the hope of this improving the tree's health.....or is it time for it to go?

There are several healthy trees nearby but the area around this one's trunk is often waterlogged, I think the water troughs at its base leak - I was wondering if this could be the cause

Many thanks in advance for any advice

 

The dead wood is a symptom of the root problems, so removing it won't do the tree much good and it is a good environment for invertebrates and birds living off them.

 

The problem probably stems from the trough and gates, animals gathering there and puddling the ground have damaged the hydrology and reduced the roots ability to breathe.

[Gary Prentice]

Following on from the above. The retrenchment of the crown does suggest that the root system is compromised. 

To begin to attempt to remediate the ground compaction (assuming that that is the issue) the trough needs resiting away from the tree. Livestock will still congregate beneath, seeking shade in warm weather, so fencing, even a dead hedge of branches etc, aeay from the dripline would prevent this. 

 

A mulch of well rotted woodchip beneath the crown will start to relieve the compaction and improve the soil structure and organic content. In an ideal world you'd also move the gateway, so vehicles weren't driving over the root system. If that isn't possible, at least avoid using the gateway when the soils wet and most susceptible to damage.

[nepia]

But that's all unlikely to happen eh?!

My thoughts are simply to leave it alone; it'll die and be great habitat.  Farmer should appreciate that, being a custodian of the countryside 'n' all.

[Gary Prentice]

19 minutes ago, nepia said:

But that's all unlikely to happen eh?!

My thoughts are simply to leave it alone; it'll die and be great habitat.  Farmer should appreciate that, being a custodian of the countryside 'n' all.

The OP asked a question about improving the trees health. 

[nepia]

To be pedantic he asked if deadwooding it would improve its health.  Surely it makes sense to consider more than one option; farmer certainly seems to be!

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, nepia said:

To be pedantic he asked if deadwooding it would improve its health.  Surely it makes sense to consider more than one option; farmer certainly seems to be!

The simple answer was no.

 

You were both right  in your treatments given differing circumstances so no need to argue.

 

Most farmers would leave it be and carry on, a land manager more concerned with keeping veteran trees and encouraging regrowth from this retrenchment might follow Gary's advice.

[Mick Dempsey]

 

Ideal opportunity for a bit of The Specials, arboricultural consultants extraordinaire.

[andyk12]

thanks to all of you for the advice and opinions.

If it were my tree I'd follow Gary's advice and hope to keep the tree going for a while longer, however I think that sepia might be right. So hopefully we can do nothing!

 

thanks again