WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST
Storm damage. This red maple split last week when that nor’easter made its way into the area. These large tight crotches–where 2 leaders or trunks come together–are normally where trees “fail” or tear apart. If this tree was pruned to 1 central leader when it was younger, it could have been avoided. Once mature, the only remedy is to prune and cable the tree together to prevent splitting, but this isn’t cheap.
May the Forest Be with You,
Ryan Trapani
Director of Forest Services
Catskill Forest Association