TREE CONSERVATION

Valuable trees with ecological or historical value are usually carrying a lot of
defects, like cavities, cracks, and they must be stabilized and conserved, if they should
not be felled down. There are tree conservation (special) treatments that are provided
to stop the breakdown of the tree structures and to secure the tree safety.

Fresh Wound Treatment

Superficial layers of phloem and wood are damaged and the tree is open to
infection. We need to boost natural healing processes. The wound must be cleared and
smoothed without excessive deepening. The wound should be covered to keep the
moisture. Wrapping the stem to protect the wound can help healing processes. The
wrapping must not be impermeable – no latex, resins, etc. – the favorites of fungi.

A gall in Agoho at MMSU is removed with a chainsaw causing a wound on its trunk.

Cavities
Cavities are natural part of tree life. Trees over 1.5 m of diameter can be
reasonably suspected to be hollow. The tree is not in danger, if sufficient rest wall
is kept.

Conservation of cavities includes three kinds of treatment: a) mechanical, b)

chemical, and c) special.

a. Mechanical – removal of debris and decayed wood, drainage of cavities

o Huge mass removal is not recommended
o No living tissue should be damaged

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 Very often, the cavity sealing was used in the last era of arboriculture. For
sealing, various materials had been used: bricks, stone, concrete, epoxies,
etc. The effect can be negative because:

- Water condensates on the material – favors fungi

- Air circulation is stopped – favors fungi
- The mass of sealing can cause damage of the lower stem parts
- Any control of sealed cavity is impossible

b. Chemical – application of pesticides and fungicides to inhibit the activity of

biotic agents. The main rule is, that any -cide agent must not come into contact
with living tissues of the tree. Before deciding to apply insecticides, make sure
that no protected species of insect is colonizing the tree.

c. Special – roofs, supporting constructions, lightning protection materials, etc.

To protect the tree against abiotic and biotic factors (including human), special
constructions are built. Such treatments should be reserved for the most
valuable trees. An example is the Dao (Dracontomelon dao) located at the
Student Union (SU) center of UP Los Baños, which is a ‘centennial heritage’
tree.

A centennial Heritage Dao Tree at UP Los Baños

Cavity Treatment (ERDB 2015)

The Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) cavity treatment
method is as follows:

1. Excavation
This involves the removal of all decayed parts of the wood/cavity. Besides
being soft, decayed wood are usually darker than the sound wood. It is
essential that all the decayed parts be removed to prevent further decay. Chisel
and hammer can be used for excavating small cavities with decay. However,
axe or power saw is advised when dealing with large cavities.

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2. Sterilization
Sterilization is the disinfection of newly cut and shaped wood by
using a product with active ingredient-sodium hypochlorine (zonrox) or
brushing with 45-70% alcohol. Air dry the disinfected wood for 1-2 hours,
depending on the weather. Usually, drying is faster during hot/summer
season.

3. Application of fungicide or pesticide

Fungicide (preferably with pentachloronitrobenzene or mancozeb
active ingredient – a.i.) is applied to control fungal growth that causes
decay. Application of pesticide is advised to control the attack of insect
pests (usually termites and applied 2-12 hours after fungicide treatment.

4. Application of coal tar

Coal tar is applied for water for water proofing or sealant to prevent
entry of decay organisms on the treated wood. If coal tar is not available,

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 tree paint or used motor oil can be utilized as replacement. Wait for the
sealant to dry, which takes 3-4 hours.

5. Framing
Drive several concrete nails randomly on the wood. In some cases, ≥ 2
2
cm - chicken wire and iron frame may be substituted or added. These
materials will hold the cement mixture. The framing also serves as the
foundation of the wood. This is necessary especially in trees with large
cavities (measuring or longer than 1 m x 2 m, length x width x height,
since the original part of the wood is already removed. They will add up in
the mechanical strength of the trunk.

6. Filling up
Fill up cavities with concrete cement cement-sand mixture (1:3 ratio).
If the cavity is huge, boulders or hollow blocks can also be used. The
cement-sand mixture ratio can be adjusted if a stronger filling material is
preferred.

7. Shaping
Shaping is a very crucial part in tree surgery. This includes cutting of
edges of the bark, including the thin wood beneath the bark (cambium
layer), around the mouth, or opening of the cavity, making it dirt and
cement-free. The actively dividing cells originating from the cambium

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 layer will form the callus. Depending on the age of tree, it will close to
form new bark. Usually, healing is faster on treated juvenile trees. Mature
trees heal slower, and most of the time, the wound does not close anymore.

8. Dressing
Shellac or varnish is applied on the shaped wood part to avoid drying
up of cells. If the cells dry up, uneven growth of callus or healing will no
longer proceed.

9. Fertilization (optional)
To apply fertilizer, draw a line on the ground depicting the size of the
tree circumference. The root ends of root hairs are said to reach that
distance or as far as branches/ foliage can grow. Along the circle, dig the
soil at approximately 4-6 inches wide inches deep.

A kilo of natural fertilizer such as mycorrhiza inoculant, 2-4 kg of

organic, or 1-2 kg of complete fertilizer (depending on how big the tree is)
may be applied in dissolved or powder/ granular form. Use 5 -10 gallons
of tap water to make a solution, then water evenly along the dug-up hole.
If the fertilizer to be used is in solid form, broadcast/ apply it evenly. In
both ways, the hole should be covered again with soil. In the latter, water
the soil with tap water to provide moisture to the beneficial fungus or
organic one or initially dissolve the inorganic fertilizer. Repeat the soil
amelioration after 6 months with the use inorganic fertilizer or after a year
if organic was chosen. With beneficial organism, one application is enough
because the roots will host the fungus as long as the tree lives. In return,

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 the fungus will absorb nutrients from the soil for the host, as in a symbiotic
relationship.

10. Observation and regular monitoring

Monitor cracks of the concrete that may serve as re-entry points of
decay organism(s). Once crack is visible, seal it up with coal tar, paint, or
used motor oil immediately. Irregular callus growth can be repaired, re-
chiselled carefully to initiate new and more cells.

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Tree Cabling and Bracing
Tree cabling and bracing are installed as support mechanisms to enhance the
strength of weak branches, stems, trunks and crotches. Failure of a large branch or
trunk can result in property damage, personal injury, or the decline of a tree’s health.

Tree cabling

Bracing a mature tree

Crown Cabling

If there is a danger of breakage of the branches or tree fall, the tree can be secured
by installation of cables. These are divided into groups according to three main
features:

o Rigidity
o Rigid (statical) and
o Elastic (dynamical) cabling is made

The difference is in the material properties of the ropes. Statical are tough and
should be installed as pre-loaded. They cannot absorb any movement, so there is high
risk of dynamical breakage if installed improperly. Dynamic cables allow movement
of tree parts and only in case of failure that can catch the falling part and save the
targets underneath. Movement is very important, because the cambium is stimulated
and the tree can grow.

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 o Destructiveness
o Destructive
o Non-destructive

The difference is in the way of mounting of the cabling system on the

tree. Non-destructive systems are preferred.

 Mechanical function
o Pre-loaded
o Elastic

Pre-loaded systems serve as strengthening systems. If there are damaged parts

of a tree, like compression fork with crack, it could be only stabilized adding of
artificial strength. So, the defect is screwed together to avoid any movement. Such a
system must be pre-loaded, because the material has high tendency to creep.

Sanitation Cutting
Sanitation cutting is a pathological control measure for actively decaying trees
(those insect-attacked or diseased trees or those with fungal fruiting body growing on
root or tree base or main trunk) and a silvicultural practice to improve stands. It is
done primarily to reduce the inoculum potential or the amount of infective parts of
decay fungus and its dissemination.

In doing so, permit must be secured from the nearest Community Environment
and Natural Resources Office (CENRO).

Trees with the growth of sporophores or fruiting bodies of decay fungi are
classified as high risk trees. Usually, the basal trunk of the tree is hollow, or the
center wood is rotting. The mechanical strength of the living standing tree is therefore
significantly reduced, the fungal spores are abundant, and the vegetative parts are
infecting a large area of the center wood. Along with dieback symptom, where the
main shoot of the tree is defoliated and twigs dying are the criteria for advance decay
assessment. The syndrome, symptom plus sign, indicate the need for sanitation cutting
rather than treatment through surgery.

References

Boers, R. W. 1978. Tree removal: utilization and disposal. In: Proceedings of

National Urban Forestry Conference. Vol. 2 Washington DC. Pp 560-565

Bridgeman, P. H. 1977. Tree Surgery. David and Charles. Newton Abbot, London.
145 pp

Daniel, T. W., Helms, J. A. and F. S. Baker. 1980. Principles of Silviculture 2nd ed.
McGraw-Hill Book Company.

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Militante, E. P. and M. V. Pacho. 2005. Tree Surgery: A Manual for Practitioners.
UPLB Info, Education and Communication Program, UPLB, College,
Laguna. 26 pp.

Pacho, M. V. and J. N. Pascual. 2015. Tree Rehabilitation: A Step by Step Guide in

Tree Surgery, Proper Pruning and Sanitation Cutting. Ecosystem Research
and Development Bureau. College, Laguna. 20 pp.