Climbing spikes vs rope access got me in a heated debate with a old timer last week

I was up on a big oak pruning deadwood when this retired logger stopped to watch. He said using spikes on a live tree is basically lazy and damages the cambium permanently, even with good technique. But I argued that for removals and rough pruning spikes are fine and way faster. Now I'm second guessing myself - do you guys think spikes ever belong on a live tree or is he right that it's always bad practice?

2 comments

2 Comments

betty_barnes23d ago

My buddy who works for a tree service out in Oregon told me they have a strict no spikes policy unless its a removal or dead tree. He said they had a new guy spike up a clients prized maple and it left visible wounds for years. I read somewhere that every puncture is basically a scar that the tree has to compartmentalize, so it adds up over time. I get the speed argument though, sometimes you just need the work done.

gray_patel9d ago

Whoa, hold on a second. That part about every puncture being a scar that the tree has to compartmentalize isn't quite right. Trees don't heal like we do, they actually seal off the wound. So it's not really a scar in the way we think of it, it's more like a walled off area. But you're right that the damage from spikes is real and can stay visible for years, even decades. The problem is those wounds make it easier for rot and bugs to get in, and that adds up over time. So the new guy's mistake was serious, but calling it a scar is a little off.