Is this oak bracket? How bad a sign?

[Dendrologen]

If something falls off, you could leave it in situ, as this will benefit the tree and provide yet more valuable habitat. Healthy soil is "the key".

 

If you want to preserve your old trees, you need to look after their environment. It is obviously up to you how much you value each individual tree and how much you want to invest in it.

[Bolt]

4 hours ago, Dendrologen said:

If something falls off, you could leave it in situ, as this will benefit the tree and provide yet more valuable habitat. Healthy soil is "the key".

I guess you could if you are just a gentleman landowner, but if you’re actually trying to farm the land, it’s a bit of a bummer to keep having to untangle sheep and hay turner tines.

 

It’s an odd mentality, but in some circles, producing food is “the key”.

[Dendrologen]

2 hours ago, Bolt said:

I guess you could if you are just a gentleman landowner, but if you’re actually trying to farm the land, it’s a bit of a bummer to keep having to untangle sheep and hay turner tines.

 

It’s an odd mentality, but in some circles, producing food is “the key”.

Producing food isn't the key to conservation of mature trees though, is it? I am giving advice on tree management, not farming. This forum is about tree management.

Edited October 29 by Dendrologen

[Dendrologen]

I looked after a parkland that was grazed by sheep. Never had to untangle any from the deadwood that we left at the base of the old trees.

[GarethM]

Me thinks it's an advert for not giving the National Trust a penny.

 

We spent 300k on one solitary oak tree, but we've a forest of the buggers out the back.

[Bolt]

7 hours ago, Dendrologen said:

Producing food isn't the key to conservation of mature trees though, is it? I am giving advice on tree management, not farming. This forum is about tree management.

I think you’ll find it’s about covid, immigration and the next US president.

 

The original intention may have been trees though.

[CathB]

Thanks hugely all, I really appreciate your knowledge and thoughts.

 

We need to cater for both the future of mature trees & the stock beneath which is sheep most of the year, and heifers for a few months in the summer. We've lost two of the seven oaks in the last 2 years, so just trying to work out how to best preserve the rest - fencing is a option but it's minimum 75m for the smallest canopy & I'd prefer to do post & rail wood vs cheaper stock fence as 16 apartments (an old Hall building converted) look out onto the park field. But the cost is ££ for 5 trees, so I'm trying to work out which to prioritise - hence seeing the ganoderma resinaceum on one which complicates it if it's already compromised the trunk. Decisions!

[Stere]

Are thoose wooden boxes  for new trees?

 

Even with extra care they don't live forever so least you can do you bit  for  the future  by replacing them etc.

 

 

Small group copse planting say a dozen trees with a circular fence that can be thinned later also works well as they  normally  establish alot faster than single trees and less fencing needed

 

 

 

 

[CathB]

Thanks Stere and correct, we've got new oaks in the guards. Next time round I'm going to fence bigger & plant more with some scrub species too. Just all adds up a bit cost wise!

[Dendrologen]

Might be worth seeing if there's any grant funding available for managing veteran trees. There has been some in recent years.

 

From a habitat perspective, the ones with more decay and damage can be more valuable. Trees may exist with ganoderma for a very long time, so I wouldn't prioritise the other ones because they don't have fruit bodies on them. Sods law you do that and then a perfectly healthy looking tree fails due to something you hadn't seen.