Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Monday, November 16, 2015

Oak Wilt

When we bought our first home in Bluff Country it was located in a large woods about a mile out of town.  Our home built adjacent to a major State highway had a gravel road entering the woods behind us. There were just a couple of homes on that gravel road. It was called Oak Hill and our little three acre plot had dozens of those magnificent trees. They were mostly white oak with some Burr and a few Reds mixed in. Now, fifty some years later there are about 40 homes in the woods and far fewer oak trees. Something call oak wilt has been taking its toll in recent years. It has proven very difficult to stop....
Oak wilt is a fungal disease that can quickly kill an oak tree.  Symtoms vary by tree species but generally consist of leaf discoloration, wilt, defoliation and death. The fungus is spread from diseased to healthy trees by insect vectors or via connections between tree roots. Management of the disease consists mainly of preventing infection by avoiding tree wounds and removing diseased trees. Chemical and roots cutting methods are marginally effective in most cases. Oak wilt is an important disease of oak for timber production and of oak trees in urban areas.

 
With my trusty chainsaw I have removed several dead oaks over the years, but this year saw six large ones succumb to the disease. It was a removal job beyond my capacity this fall due to the size of the trees and my mid August shoulder surgery. The professionals had to be called in. Take a look at an unhappy day in my backyard several weeks ago.....:(

 
 
 
 
 

24 comments:

  1. I know what you mean - we had to cut down a huge Cottonwood by our driveway, soon after buying our house - it had some kind of disease as well. Sad to lose those big trees.

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  2. So now oaks are under attack? Good grief.
    I can see why the task would be beyond you. It must have cost you a buck or two though.

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  3. Sad to lose such majestic trees. Think about the loss of habitat for the birds and animals that depend on these trees. We are losing a lot of pine here in the southwest - mainly du to Bark Beetle and drought (they are inter-related).

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  4. Oh so sad to see such magnificent trees lost. I hope the oak wilt doesn't hit our neck of the woods. We're already seeing devastating widespread death of our hemlocks.

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  5. This would be a very unhappy day but the future is also a worry. I hope no more trees get this disease.

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  6. I am a fan of trees/flowers/nature in general. Always sad to see these big trees go down. Even worse that disease continues to spread.

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  7. So very sad indeed. I weep for those trees, too. :-(

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  8. Our town has lots of Live Oaks. A few years ago an area had this wilt and it was such a shame to see the beautiful trees go. It seems to be under control now. I think it cost a pretty penny to have anything done to them or for them.

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  9. Ugh. So very sad to lose trees...and oaks on top of it. :( I'm sure the birds and squirrels miss them as well.

    I hope your shoulder is doing better. My mom had hers replaced earlier this year and she is doing great! Took a long time in rehab, but it worked. I hope you are having the same good luck with your shoulder.

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  10. Those were some tall Oaks! Good thing you hired it done with your bad/healing shoulder and all. I hope that Oak Wilt stays in the southern part of the state. So sad to lose old big trees:(

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  11. Always sad to lose trees. Oaks are so beautiful and certainly provide the wildlife with good sources of food and shelter.

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  12. So sad to lose trees, especially oaks. There is a young oak in the garden which was self seeded (we were told) and it's showing signs that something is wrong. We can't cut it down so we'll have to call in the experts.

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  13. I hate to see trees cut down and it will surely change the view from your home. We just watched a neighbor have five big trees taken out and it was something to watch. It's amazing what small spaces the experts can direct a huge old tree into on its way down.

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  14. Very sad. I'm sure you look out and see all the empty space where those trees were. I hope nature provides some wonderful alternatives.

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  15. So after losing the elms and ash trees, the oaks are under attack too? I guess we'll just have to settle for those darn box elders!

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  16. i'd be devastated to lose the oaks around here. i hope your culling will save the others.

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  17. so sad to lose those wonderful old trees, we have lost two large trees in the past year, one cost of 1000 and the other 1200 to remove... one was some kind of rot, the other was split by lightning. so sorry you lost your trees and to read about the wilt problem.

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  18. I hate it when the big trees have to go. I just blogged about my little ash tree having to be replaced due to the attentions of the Emerald Ash Borer insect. A few years ago it was the elm trees being decimated by Dutch Elm Disease. And the maples around here often suffer from Black Spot on the leaves. I hope the oak wilt doesn't come here.....

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  19. ;-((( Us too, we lost 4 trees to disease, 3 apple and one Mountain Ash. We have 3 cut down, one more to go. It really changes the landscape of the yard. ;-(((

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  20. I'm sorry you lost your oaks. Eight years ago we had a weird disease causing half of our century old white pines to look they had been struck by lightning. A state biologist came to check them out and then we hired a pro to take them down. I'm pleased to say that our woods are now looking better than ever as the trees have regrown naturally, although we still have to fight invasives. I hope your yard recovers as well.

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  21. Wow, that was quite an operation. Did they remove all they took down? I hope it has stopped the disease for good.

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  22. It's sad when those tree diseases run rampant.

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  23. This made me remember when a big storm came through Lake City, Mn. Not sure which year, but before 1994. So many oaks and other trees blew down or were severely damaged. My father in law said most of the trees were hauled to the dump. I was only thinking of beautiful oak for furniture or at least fire wood, but he said there was so much to clear, that I just had to be hauled away. You are smart not to tackle such big trees yourself. My husband cuts a lot with a chainsaw, but almost always, the tree is already horizontal by the time he cuts. We've had scores of trees taken down by beavers in the last three years. Free firewood. Not oak, however.

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  24. That's a sad scene indeed. Hate to see those old trees go!

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