Woodland Damage : Recognition of cause(1)
Aim
Environment
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Environment Signs:Trees may be damaged or stressed by a range of environmental factors including water-logging, nutient deficiency, frost damage, lightning strikes and drought.
Insect
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Insects Signs: Main species affecting trees are large pine weevil on restocking sites, common weevil on ex farmland planting sites, aphids and moth larvae. Can all cause damage usually by defoliation.
Vole
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Voles Signs – Vole runs can be seen when grass is cut or after snow has melted.
Damage description: Removes bark of young trees and shrubs below level of surrounding vegetation. May cause damage higher up stem when snow provides cover.
Squirrel
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Squirrels Damage description: Can strip bark at a range of heights. Damage at base of tree can be similar to rabbits. Bark removed higher up stem will tend to be 1-2 cm wide and several cm long.
Hare
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Hares Signs: Rounded and fibrous droppings larger than rabbit droppings. Damage description: Browses young trees – stems cut cleanly at a sharp angle. Cut stem usually left uneaten.
Rabbit
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Rabbits Signs: Rounded and fibrous droppings, often deposited in latrine areas in high numbers. Burrows and freshly dug earth often visible.
Damage description: Browses young trees – stems cut cleanly at a sharp angle. Bark stripping on young trees and on thin barked mature trees. Damage usually no more than 0.5m high but can be higher if snow cover allows higher access.
key:
effects of damage type to woodland |
 |
no effect |
 |
no significant losses |
 |
can cause significant economic loss but woodland can survive |
 |
can cause complete loss of woodland |
Woodlands may be susceptible to a number of damaging agents. Identifying the cause of damage an early stage is important, before the impacts become an expensive/ecological problem. The aim of this guide is to provide information to help with the identification process.
Recognising causes of damage
The following steps may help in assessing damage:
A. Read the signs. In most cases the causes will be apparent on close examination. Some knowledge of site history will be useful.
B. If in doubt, use the questions below to help identify potential causes.
C. Check the individual descriptions to confirm damage type and assess the potential extent of the effects of the damage depending on the age class of tree (i.e. seedling, sapling, mature).
| No |
|
Question |
Action |
| 1 |
|
•Seedling
(young tree, below 1m high). |
 2 |
 |
•Sapling
(young tree, 1– 3m high). |
13 |
 |
•Mature
(all older trees). |
21 |
Seedlings
| No |
Question |
Y/N |
Action |
| 2 |
Is seedling foliage brown, yellow or shrivelled ? |
Y:
N: |
environmental
3 |
| 3 |
Has bark been removed? |
Y:
N: |
4
8 |
| 4 |
Are teeth marks visible on close inspection? |
Y:
N: |
5
6 |
| 5 |
Size of teeth marks 1-2 mm
|
|
voles |
| |
Size of teeth marks 3-4 mm |
|
rabbits |
| 6 |
Has bark been rubbed off ? |
Y:
N: |
deer
7 |
| 7 |
Has bark been removed without any marks on underlying wood? |
Y:
N: |
insects (large pine weevil)
other signs? |
| 8 |
Have leaves and small shoots been eaten? |
Y:
N: |
9
12 |
| 9 |
Are severed ends at a sharp angle and clean cut? |
Y:
N: |
10
11 |
| 10 |
Have severed shoots been left uneaten? |
Y:
N: |
hares
rabbits |
| 11 |
Do severed shoots have a ragged end? |
Y:
N: |
large herbivore
other signs? |
| 12 |
Have only needles or leaves been eaten? |
Y:
N: |
normally insects
birds |
| |
|
|
|
see: Damage Recognition(2)
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