To big for thier skin?

[Gerbutt]

I've found a load of nice big beech trees that I go and climb as often as possible. Whilst up them I've noticed this in them all

Why are they like this then? Still got loads of leaves and look healthy!?

[Paul Barton]

Looks like extensive squirrel damage to me.

[Gerbutt]

Really! Blimmy, who would have thought they could have done that, some of the branches are massive! The wood in the damaged parts looks like it's dead, but then further up it looks fine and there are loads of good leaves on them. Would all this make them weak? Just wondering because I spend a lot of time up them practising branch walking, swinging from one place to another and just trying to get round them as quickly as possible.

[Charlieh]

they could well be weak internally, i have felled trees with extensive squirrel damage to them (sycamore seems to be a favourite round here) and the tops and limbs can quite often snap out when felling, so you have to be aware and keep looking up when felling, i wouldnt fancy putting any weight onto the limb in your second picture,

[Gerbutt]

i wouldnt fancy putting any weight onto the limb in your second picture,

 

Na neither would I. There are quite a few I stay well clear of just incase. Always by myself so I do take extra care, it's just that most of the tops have some damage or other

 

Will this damage eventually end up killing the trees?

[Catweazle]

I'd go for squirrel damage too. I have lost some very large branches from old trees to it. The branches look fine from the ground, but the squirrels have taken the bark from the top and allowed rot in. One day the branch just drops off.

[Graham]

Def squirrels. Sometimes the damage isn't apparent from the ground.

[ben lightfoot]

would advise not climbing alone on these trees no matter how safe you are, sometimes they can still be fine but other rot right through and takes very little to break. Part of our spec in a deadwood is to remove deadwood or remove end weight because of the risks

[Catweazle]

If, like me, you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, you can sometimes spot these damaged branches where they have lost side shoots. Squirrels often rest up in holes where the side branches have fallen off and woodpeckers have pecked out the rotten wood. So if you see a squirrel running along a branch and suddenly disappear, or you see just a tail hanging down, it's likely there is a rotten hole there somewhere.

[Gerbutt]

I think you might be right about climbing them by myself! Shame really because they're huge trees and have been good to practise in, but it would be sods law if i didn't take heed of what's been said and something went amiss! Best go on the hunt for somemore.