Mending damaged bark?

[scgargoyle]

Is there any recommended treatment for large bark damage on trees? My contractor, despite wanting to save as many trees as possible, apparently doesn't have very good aim, and damaged the bark on a number of trees. Assuming the trees survive the soil compaction, is there anything I can or should do to the areas where the bark was knocked off? Damage ranges from nicks up to 25% of the diameter. Mostly oaks, although my favorite sourwood took a pretty good hit, too.

[WDH]

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=tree+wound+sealer&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=27880015890&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=151352898430604584&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_6j39x1qfcu_b

You could try this.  However, I have never used it.  Maybe some of the tree service guys will chime in. 

[ArborJake]

 Usually you should bark trace the wounds first. Basically you cut any loose bark back to where it is solidly attached to the trunk and try to shape the wound like a football stood up on end. That will give the tree a chance to form a healing collar along the edge of your bark trace. I've used a knife for some and a chainsaw for others depending on the age of the tree and thickness of the bark.

[KBforester]

Everything I've ever heard about tree-wound compounds is not good. Maybe some aorist types can weigh in on that. From what I understand, once the would is open, the tree is inoculated with whatever infection its going to have.

I agree with ArborJake about loose bark though.

[scgargoyle]

It's interesting to note that trees damaged 5 years ago are healing pretty well. I'm also surprised that the 2 white oaks that had a gravel driveway put in within 3' of the trunk seem to unaffected so far. I was told that soil compaction would kill them, but after 5 years of traffic up to and including loaded dump trucks, they still look fine.

I'll trim the loose bark on the fresh damage, and paint some wound treatment on them. Thanks!

[g_man]

Our county forester told me that if the damaged area width was less than 10% of the tree circumference then the tree would be OK. Other than that it was up to luck and there was little you could do to signficantly help out. Trimming to tight bark and a  football shape sounds like a real good idea though.

[ArborJake]

 Tree paint according to the International Society of Arborists is a 50 / 50 deal . They have just as many studies that show it slows the healing process as studies that show it helps ward off desease and insects. I only will use it for cosmetics if a customer realy wants me to. I figure the tree's natural compartmentalization fills the wound with resins anyway so just bark trace the bad ones and you should be ok.

[Phorester]

Keep in mind that you are trying to make the best of a bad situation. An injured tree will never be as good as an uninjured tree. 

First, cut off all loose bark.  Follow the perimeter of the wound, don't try to shape the wound into a football.  This was indeed the recommendation at one time and I used to recommend it myself, but it was found that this just created a larger wound since you had to cut into undamaged bark to create this football shape.

Second, smooth the wood within the wound.  Although it's a living tree, it's still wood, so just use a rasp, sandpaper, etc.  The idea is to eliminate wood splinters that would hold snow, ice, insects, etc.

Third, leave it untreated.  As been stated, at best tree wound dressings help very little, at worst they prevent the bark from growing over the wound, and can cause moisture to be trapped against the wood underneath it at the edges of the wound. Again, you're trying to make the best of a bad situation.

Trees don't "heal" a wound from the inside out as does a wound in humans.  Trees only attempt to cover over a wound by growing new bark over it. The wound will always be present, it will just be underneath the bark if it does completely grow over the wound.

[Phorester]

It's interesting to note that trees damaged 5 years ago are healing pretty well. I'm also surprised that the 2 white oaks that had a gravel driveway put in within 3' of the trunk seem to unaffected so far. I was told that soil compaction would kill them, but after 5 years of traffic up to and including loaded dump trucks, they still look fine.

Oops - I just now read this comment.  In my experience, white oak is the species most immune from construction damage, so you've got about the best species to have in that situation. They seem to survive compaction and both dirt fill and soil excavation over their roots better than other trees.

But construction damage often takes 5 - 10 years afterward before a tree starts exhibiting symptoms.  That's one reason I think builders and heavy equipment contractors don't realize the damage done to tree root systems by normal construction processes.  They're long gone before the symptoms begin.

Most people think construction damage to trees is banged up trunks with bark knocked off and branches torn off.  But damage to root symptoms is the major construction damage done to trees.

[beenthere]

Must have posted a reply within the quote brackets.  :

[Jemclimber]

I agree with Phorester on almost all accounts,  especially about the length of time for die back from compaction to manifest. The only time I would recommend the cutting the bark would be if it was immediately after the damage and a piece of bark from another tree of almost identical size could be cut and pinned in place to form a graft. The likelihood of this is small. Trees don't heal they seal as Phorester stated.
As for topical treatment, the only time I might even think about recommending this would be if it was the time of year when a bacterial infestation was present.  Such as oak wilt present. This would have to be done immediately though as once the inner wood was dry the likelihood for contracting would be small because the insects carrying the disease will not be attracted to the dry wood.  Good luck with your trees. White oaks are majestic.

[scgargoyle]

Thanks for all of the comments. The tree that took the worst of it is a turkey oak that isn't my all-time favorite anyhow. I trimmed some loose bark, but that's all. As for compaction, I guess time will tell. I can't do anything about the driveway location without taking out even more trees.

I mostly have white oaks now, as the big red oaks have all been dying from what I think is Oak Decline. They start dying from the lower branches up, taking about 5 years to completely die. When felled, the root systems are small. I believe they are getting root rot, ironically from drought stress. I have borrowed a sawmill, which will be converting all of those red oaks into flooring this spring, so at least they're not going to waste.

[WDH]

Yes the red oaks, especially southern red oak, have taken a huge hit over the last few years due to drought stress then disease.