treehouses : ethics of drilling into mature trees..

[rsk]

I have been asked for advice from someone who is planning to install a treehouse, with platforms and walkways between several trees. I have been looking at the least damaging ways of mounting beams and cables in trees, specifically something like this:

 

Original Garnier Limb

 

The trees are large semi-mature oaks and whilst it goes well against the grain to do anything like drill holes into the trunk of a 100 yr old oak, there is an argument that the tree should be able to compartmentalise around the wound, then grow around the bolt without too much disruption.

Is it unethical to make holes in the trunk of semi-mature/mature trees?

How great are the risks of introducing disease?

What is an acceptable level of risk eg, what is an acceptable number of drill holes?

What measures are there for minimising that risk, for example is it worth sterilising drilling equipment and plugging the hole as quickly as possible or does it make no difference?

Does anyone else have any experience of installing tree houses or other structures in trees, and the ways trees respond over time?

 

Thanks

[landrover 101]

Can't see it making too much difference if you don't go overboard they should heal and adapt

 

You only have to look at trees on farms etc with fences nailed to them or that they have grown around they generally seem to be ok

 

Even saw a pic somewhere of one that had grown around a bike might have been on here not sure where I saw it

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Ruskins Trees]

Don't

[Ms2004life]

Hey there i have quite a bit of experience in this. Drilling is okay, the problem with the compartmentalizing is the bolts will continue to cut because of wind and limb movement. How we have overcome this is drilling a slightly larger hole then put a sleeve for the bolt to sit inside. This is quite important as the swinging motion of the tree not only helps the rods to cut into the tree but the galvinizingstarts to come off and enters the sapwood. We have found a galvinizy type sap exiting cuts when the trees have been pruned. I can help ya with any info you need and can throw some photos on for you to look at if you want its awesome fun

[David Humphries]

Don't

 

Would agree that drilling is not really required or a particularly sustainable way of creating a tree house.

 

Saw this one at the weekend that the national trust had errected.

 

Not a single bolt attached to this pollarded lime

 

Top draw

 

 

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[Stubby]

Thing is David its not really a tree house its a 2 story platform with a tree growing up the center . You could build the structure anywhere with or without a tree up the middle . When I was a nipper it had to be built in the tree and supported by the tree .

[Beardie]

To me, that is not a proper treehouse, as it is not supported by the tree. You could take the tree away and it would still be standing.

 

My idea, for what it's worth, is to have padded collars around suitable branches and attach the structure to them. They would need to be checked and adjusted every few years to accommodate increase in girth and there may be an issue with them harbouring pests and pathogens. Nevertheless, has anyone gone for this approach?

[Gray git]

Don't do this, zipwire in a lime, hole cut with a saw and held at the back with a lump of steel box section.

I'd try and avoid drilling if you can and use artificial support from the ground.

[MattyF]

Oak from my experience does not respond well to invasive metal .. The tannin reacts and either won't heal so the bolts pull.... Beech on the other hand is the opposite.

[David Humphries]

Thing is David its not really a tree house its a 2 story platform with a tree growing up the center . You could build the structure anywhere with or without a tree up the middle . When I was a nipper it had to be built in the tree and supported by the tree .

 

To me, that is not a proper treehouse, as it is not supported by the tree. You could take the tree away and it would still be standing.

 

I get where you're coming from, but if you would allow me to be punctiliously pedantic, the Oxford english dictionary describes a 'treehouse' as "a structure or hut within a tree' especially for children to play in"

 

The structure above in the shots fits within the definition from my perspective

 

I think the point being that no matter what the purpose for a structure and tree to come together in design, the construction does not need to be invasive.

 

 

 

 

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