A dead or dying tree on your property typically needs to be removed so that it doesn't fall and damage your home, or worse, hurt someone. At the same time, that tree likely is home to a whole host of creatures. There are methods that can be used that will help minimize the negative impacts on the resident wildlife.
Remove At the Least Harmful Time
Birds and small mammals like squirrels can nest in trees year around, but they only have family nests — where they are raising young — in the spring and summer. You can minimize the chances of disturbing a nest by scheduling tree removal in fall. By fall the young will be out of the nests or old enough to care for themselves. In the event that there are still animals in the trees, perhaps building a winter nest, they will still have time to move their nest elsewhere and rebuild stores before the cold weather hits. If you remove the tree in winter, hibernating and overwintering animals may not be able to survive.
Give A Little Warning
If you must remove a tree in spring, perhaps due to damage that has made it dangerous, give the resident wildlife some warning so they can move nests elsewhere before they begin breeding. This method works best in very early spring before young are born or eggs are laid. Instead of having the tree removed in a single day, begin by removing some of the larger branches on the first day. This activity will scare away the wildlife so most will have fled the tree by the time the removal crew returns to complete the task.
Leave the Tree — Safely
If you have room and the tree poses little danger to structures or people below, you have another option. This option only works if you don't mind the aesthetics of having a dead tree on your property. A tree service can remove most of the large branches and many of the small branches. The trunk will remain, where it can provide a nesting site for many birds and mammals, as well as for beneficial insects and those that provide food for other wildlife. By removing the major branches, most of the danger of the dead tree is prevented. The remaining trunk can even be staked so that it is even less likely to fall. Then, the tree can be cut down completely in a few years when it has finished serving its purpose as a wildlife refuge.
For more help with safely and responsibly removing a dead or dying tree on your property, contact a tree removal service in your area.
Share9 September 2020
Elm, ash, walnut, maple, apple — these are all gorgeous trees, but they all have their own preferences in terms of care. Maple trees, for example, need to be pruned later in the season once their sap has begun flowing. Elm trees should be pruned in winter when insects aren't around in order to protect them from the emerald ash borer. A good tree care company will treat each of your trees as individuals, customizing care to their own specific needs. Still, it's important that you, as the tree owner, understand those needs, too. Read the articles on your website, and you'll soon have a pretty good grasps on the basics of tree care.