TREE CARE a tree branch or whole tree falls onto a target — a person or valuable piece of property ( truck , grandstand , building , fence or bench ) — causing injury or damage that needs to be repaired or replaced . At first glance , decay can be a bit of a puzzle , but after further investigation , it becomes obvious that trunks and limbs become unable to support their own weight and fall down — especially in wind and rainstorms .
HOW TO SPOT DECAY Noticing decay symptoms is the first step in addressing the defect and determining if the tree in which it is found is hazardous or relatively sound in the short term . Fruiting structures that form on trunks , root plates , roots and branches are the most obvious indicator that decay is present in a tree . Called mushrooms , brackets or conks , outgrowths of decay tissue that break through the bark are readily visible to the naked eye . They take on various shapes , sizes and colors and are often considered to be quite decorative . However , like the tip of an iceberg , they are a sign that there is a much larger concern inside the tree and / or tree part . Some structures are produced annually , while others grow for two or more years , adding additional tissue as time goes on .
Conks , mushrooms and brackets are not always present when decay organisms infect a tree . If they are not visible , it ’ s wise to look for other signs and symptoms such as surface sponginess in locations such as where limbs were previously removed , frost cracks , lightning injury spots and damaged areas from mowers or string trimmers at the base / root plate of the tree .
Decay is often hidden by intact bark , sometimes necessitating inspection by an experienced arborist to spot it . Sounding , drilling and probing are techniques that can be helpful in this regard . In addition to the loss of integrity in the short term , the seriousness of the malady is that there is no way to lessen the effects in the long term — other than to notify stakeholders of the seriousness of the defect .
Many conks are quite colorful , almost like a piece of artwork .
Surface sponginess is also an indicator of tree decay .
INSPECTIONS AND MONITORING The solution to preventing damage to targets and , perhaps more importantly , lawsuits is regular inspection . The first step is training all staff members on how to spot it in the landscape . The second is to investigate any suspicious wounds or trunk / branch areas that don ’ t look normal .
Inspection can be performed as a part of a regular scouting program by all staff or by dedicating a few people to regularly looking closely at signs and symptoms
Decay hidden by intact bark . sportsfieldmanagementonline . com November 2024 | SportsField Management
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