veteran tree oak

[APC]

Ayo!

 

I have an oak at work, 150yrs old minimum, likely 200+. It isn't having the best of luck. It's been smacked by lightning and now there's springs popping up all over the place and half of its rooting area has been severely waterlogged. There is very little live crown now. There is much deadwood in the remaining crown. It was reduced approx 5 years ago. Before I got a say in anything, it was mown right up to the stem. I imagine there has been some damage as it used to be carried out by a tractor mounted batwing mower. Noone knew any better. I mowed here too so I'm as guilty as anyone. I can't see any damaged surface root but I imagine that the tractor has caused damaged sub-surface.

 

It is currently host to Ganoderma applanatum and Fistulina hepatica.

 

Now things have changed. I've changed the culture from removal of deadwood so that people can lounge around underneath to allowing the grass to grow underneath to discourage it. It's now 2 foot deep in buttercup and still really really wet. I wanted to get half of the RPA mulched with oak chip obtained from some footpath crownlifting. I daren't put it on ground so wet though.

 

I will obtain photos of the current crown next week but here is the tree today. Is there anything I can do to promote survival?

 

 

 

[Big Beech]

Root air injection?

But in all honesty luckjbg at this pic cut it down for logs and milling

[APC]

Root air injection?

But in all honesty luckjbg at this pic cut it down for logs and milling

 

root air injection: what's left of fibrous roots would be mashed.

 

logs+milling - I've got plenty of oak to do that with. This ones worth enslaving.

[sean]

Looks buggerd....if it is then maybe monolith for habitat.

[APC]

Looks buggerd....if it is then maybe monolith for habitat.

 

yeah but that's easy.

[treeseer]

yeah but that's easy.

 

way too easy. Springs are popping up? then make the water run away from the trunk then.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

let it stand as is

[APC]

let it stand as is

 

Yeah that was the plan, but how about the vegetation management below it? Would 2 foot of buttercups and rye grass be denying it enough nutrients?

[treeseer]

Where are the leaves?