Quercus & Grifola frondosa thread

[Fungus]

Documentation of a 250 year old Quercus robur, that failed last year because its major roots had completely been white rotted by Grifola frondosa and in its fall damaged and partially uprooted another veteran oak, that was felled recently.

The next three photo's show a close by standing oak of about the same age with prolific fruiting of G. frondosa at three sides of the tree base.

Although the oak already has lost two major roots at the wind load side (photo 3-4), it still has a vital though somewhat reduced crown with normal foliage. Some of the tree species specific ectomycorrhizal macrofungi (Russula, Lactarius) are still present.

Photo 4 also shows symptoms of an infection with rhizomorphs of the necrotrophic parasitic Armillaria ostoyae.

The tree is standing close to the entrance of a during the weekends often visited estate and at the corner of a busy public road.

 

My advice on preservation of the tree would be to help it enter the second phase of its life cycle by retrenchment and reducing about one third of the upper and outer crown branches followed by further retrenchment after some years until one third of the original crown is preserved.

Any other thoughts apart from felling it because of the risk of windthrow, which has to be assessed and evidenced before a decision is made ?

Edited November 9, 2011 by Fungus

[armybloke]

Can the public be deterred from entering the hazard area and can the entrance be diverted until such a time as the tree is reduced sufficiently that if it fell it would cause no damage? Post and rail fencing at Westonbirt Arboretum keeps visitors out of falling distance in order to retain important trees. Just a thought

[David Humphries]

Can the public be deterred from entering the hazard area and can the entrance be diverted until such a time as the tree is reduced sufficiently that if it fell it would cause no damage? Post and rail fencing at Westonbirt Arboretum keeps visitors out of falling distance in order to retain important trees. Just a thought

 

Moving/controlling the target is often an option that is not fully explored.

Not always an option ofcourse, but one that may seem like it takes the most effort to achieve in my experience.

 

Good post Marco

 

 

 

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[Fungus]

Can the public be deterred from entering the hazard area and can the entrance be diverted until such a time as the tree is reduced sufficiently that if it fell it would cause no damage? Post and rail fencing at Westonbirt Arboretum keeps visitors out of falling distance in order to retain important trees.

 

Marco,

Unfortunately no, it's a "markeboom" or "corner stone" tree indicating the bounderies of different owner's properties, that has its tree base less than two metres away from both the private and public road.

Besides, the oak has by now lost all of its last year's foliage, so the risk of windthrow is temporarely reduced.

[armybloke]

Moving/controlling the target is often an option that is not fully explored.

Not always an option ofcourse, but one that may seem like it takes the most effort to achieve in my experience.

 

Good post Marco

 

 

 

.

 

Thank you David, it is something I personally practice in the field as often people overlook that part of tree retention over a complete fell It has worked on 2 ocassions so far

[armybloke]

Marco,

Unfortunately no, it's a "markeboom" or "corner stone" tree indicating the bounderies of different owner's properties, that has its tree base less than two metres away from both the private and public road.

Besides, the oak has by now lost all of its last year's foliage, so the risk of windthrow is temporarely reduced.

 

A very important tree of historical value? It is a shame that it can not be fenced but as you so rightly described the reduction could go along way in providing some well-earned extra life. Also, as I can not see the tree, would some form of 'prop' assist. I do not know if that would work or even does work on big trees , but I guess it is how much the owner values his/her tree?

[Fungus]

some form of 'prop'

 

Marco,

I'm not familiar with that term, please "enlighten" me .

[armybloke]

Marco,

I'm not familiar with that term, please "enlighten" me .

 

I am searching for a picture to try to show you Gerrit but basically it would be a suitably strong and robust structure, much like a walking stick with a thumb rest (a 'V' on top of a pole) that would retain the tree in place by lodging it under limb union or similar to hold the tree upright. I am unsure if I have explained that very well?

 

I am going to post a photo of a tree with a 'prop' soon!

[armybloke]

This is a photo of Vancouver's Stanley Park Hollow Tree being held upright with props. Does this help you

[Fungus]

like a walking stick with a thumb rest (a 'V' on top of a pole)

 

I does help, though I thought you meant in the shape of the letter Y on a bit longer pole holding up the tree by the branches "armpits".

Edited November 9, 2011 by Fungus