"Arborists" in accidental ring barking during Ivy removal

[raafbeard]

Looked at a silver birch today which was apparently dying back from no obvious cause. Initially I was struggling to understand why there was significant dieback on all of the limbs and the top of the crown...

 

Then I saw a chainsaw cut in the butt of the stem...I reckon a year maybe two old - followed said cut completely around the butt and about 8mm into the cambium layer - on further inspection we found two more complete circles cut around the butt.

 

Questioning the owner he advised that he'd had a conifer removed by what seemed to be a professional outfit - sign written van etc etc...He then explained that whilst they were there they had offered to remove some ivy from the silver birch as it would have been "strangling the tree"..The ivy was at best 10mm diameter and not very dense barely warranted a silky to remove it.

 

I can only assume the respectable Tree Surgeons had done this intentionally with a view to dropping by later on to fell the dead birch

 

Maybe this is a common trick but I haven't seen it that bad before and it just reminded me what we are up against and how low some people will stoop to make some fairly easy money...

[Mozza]

Sneaky gypsy fookers!!!

[David oakman]

Yes it sounds like a rogue traders trick to me

[skyhuck]

More than likely, just too thick to know any better

[treewizard]

hmmmmm i smell pikeys

[Highland Forestry]

Sounds about right...

Have heard of people putting copper nails etc into trees in an effort to kill them off looking for future work.... but never ring barking.... thats a whole new low!

Is there any way to seal up a cambium wound like that??

Not meaning to sound too drunk, but would cotton wool and then some kind of outer sealing layer help it back a bit??

 

Maybe I do sound drunk....

[Jamie]

your plan sounds similar to air layering, you can use moist sphagnum and wrap it in womething non porus, it develops roots, into the spagnum, not sure if it would 'heal' over

 

Jamie

[Highland Forestry]

I was thinking if you could fill the gap in the cambium with something porus that would hold moisture then it may help it come back and I wouldnt mind betting that it would heal over in time..... got me interested this... is it possible to do a graft?

[Arob]

Yes HF you could bridge graft - see p 273-278 of Grafters Handbook by RJ Garner and Repair Grafting

[Mark Cattell]

I concur, a graft may work and worth a try... if its a nice specimen otherwise fellit and replant....