I finally learned to read the tree's history after a job in Centennial Park

Last spring I got a call to remove a big old oak in Centennial Park here in Nashville. It looked fine from the ground, but when I started cutting I found this huge internal crack that had been hidden by healthy bark. That tree had been hit by lightning maybe 10 years back and nobody caught the damage. Now I always check for old scars or wounds before I even grab my saw, even if the tree looks good. Has anyone else had a tree surprise them like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

richardh443d ago

Did you inspect that tree from the ground before you took the job, or did you just look it over quick? In my experience the really sneaky damage is always up high where you can't see it from street level, like in a crotch or where a big limb joins the trunk. That lightning strike scar could have been tiny and healed over, but the crack inside kept growing for years. Your mileage may vary but I started carrying a little inspection mirror on a pole after a similar thing happened to me, lets me check those hidden spots without climbing first.

leep333d agoMost Upvoted

Dude, my buddy had a tree snap clean in half because he missed a crack that was totally invisible from the ground.