Poisoned trees

[Taupotreeman]

Seriously peeved today to say the least. We got called by one of our guys that mows and maintains the reserves (council employee). He'd spotted these Gums and on further inspection found drill holes around the base of all of them. It's been done in the last couple of weeks and the foliage on two of the three has already browned off. The third is sure to be close behind. The trees are approximately 30m tall and in the fall zone of an 11KV conductor. We're not sure if it's one of the residents whose property is shaded by the trees or one from further up the hill whose view is blocked. Whichever, I'm not impressed. The last picture is, or was, a weeping Pine that the locals didn't like so drilled, poisoned and then systematically dismantled. They had the firewood and burned the rest on site. It looks like the trees will have to come down unless anyone can indicate otherwise

[David Humphries]

Don't need to say how bad this is.

 

Would the police be involved?

 

 

 

 

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[Taupotreeman]

The police were called when the Pine was first done but they didn't seem that interested. Unfortunately, the Council are not keen on rattling too many cages either so it's been passed on to local media to see if they want to run a story on it. Spineless springs to mind which makes it all the more annoying.

[Timbermcpherson]

Hundreds of litres of sugared water might help. Its worked in other places with poisonings. Dilutes the poison some while giving the tree extra glucose.

 

 

Make a hole every 800mm around the tree to the drip line.

Mix 20-30gms sugar in 1-litre of water & pour into your holes over an area of 2 square metres.

Repeat the sugar mix for every 2 square metres around the tree & at least to the drip line (the outer leaves of the canopy), though it wouldn’t hurt to got further.

Repeat once a month.

You should notice new foliage starting to grow. Keep the treatment up until your tree is healthy once again.

 

 

Let em know you know a compulsive firebug that loves trees

[Ms2004life]

Agreed have done this with eucalypts down here and it worked! I didn't drill more holes tho just kept feeding the one that was in it. Trick is to lock the cap on your water source so more poison can't be put in to it. I used a fake survallience sign as a deterrent as an extra.

[Ms2004life]

It'll definitely be a nearby resident as vandals won't go to such lengths to get a thrill the slow painful death usually isn't their style. Neighbours of trees don't want to pay the council for something they think they should get for free cause it shades there BBQ area. New Zealand is pretty low on arb info, the tree should stay or it should go(as I'm sure you know man) we need to inform people and bring them round over here!!!

[Taupotreeman]

So the sugar thingy; even if the foliage has browned this might actually work? We were considering leaving the trees to see if we can get them to throw out a heap of epicormic growth over the next year but if the sugar trick works it might be worth a shot.

[Taupotreeman]

Timber, how deep do the holes need to be? I'm presuming into the soil not drilling the roots. MS200, I'll start dealing to the drill holes Monday as I can't get there before then. Thanks both for the tips.

[nepia]

Sickening isn't it. If the trees do go will the Council replace them with twice the number?!

[Taupotreeman]

Yes it is sickening and a regular occurrence. The last tree poisoned was a protected cypress on a council berm. Drilled and poisoned and when this didn't kill it the tree was set on fire. We were tempted to leave it in situ just to make a point but it had to come out in the end. Replant? Not on your nelly. The culprits will rip them out at the root and anyway, why waste the money on these pillocks. As you can probably tell, I haven't calmed down any.