Thursday, February 26, 2015

Seasons

You want to know one of the reasons I think living in Virginia is great? It is that we get to experience all four seasons. Not that other places don't but I feel like we get to enjoy the entirety of each season.

In the summer it is hot, and humid but bearable because fall is just a few months away. In our region we have rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, and the ocean only a few short hours away (unless there is an accident on 64). Summer in Fredericksburg is full of long sunny days, the occasional thunderstorm, and even more rare the impact of a hurricane. We have outdoor concerts, water parks, and amusement parks nearby, our population increases with the tourist season as does the traffic, but that can also be enjoyed if we simply see this time as an opportunity to show off our town. The mountains are close enough for day hikes to Old Rag, or White Oak Canyon, or overnight camping (just be sure to bring plenty of bug repellent). For history buff we have revolutionary war, to civil war, to civil rights right here. Up the road there is our nationals capital. This is a great place to live. Summer is also a great time to thin the canopy's of large mature trees to reduce the chances of wind damage to the tree and to any nearby structures. Or removing trees that have been damaged, infected by disease, or are a potential hazard.

Fall is beautiful with the changing of the colors of the leaves. Taking a day to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway to look at all of the colors of fall is amazing; Be sure to bring a picnic lunch to have at one of the scenic views, and always have your camera so you can post those amazing pictures to Facebook, Twitter , or Instagram. Making mountains of leaves for children to jump and play in is great fun. Fall is a time to prepare gardens for the winter, gathering firewood for those cold winter days or for many as a primary heating source. Visiting state and national parks this time of year can be a great experience and a wonderful way to enjoy the crisp air. Bonfires, family camping, apple festivals, and football are favorites of my family. Enjoying the Friday night lights of a high school football game, watching our favorite college play on Saturday, and, well, trying to be hopeful of a turn around season for the Washington Redskins on Sundays are part of our fall traditions. Watching the sunrise from a tree stand hoping that summer preparations and scouting will pay off with the harvesting of a White Tailed Deer. It's also a great time to trim trees, getting rid of damaged branches, reshaping trees, and inspecting trees for potential winter issues.

Winter in our area is unpredictable. There are years were we get little to no snow and the temps are mild. Other winters however can be bitterly cold and snow that is measured in feet not inches, although this is very rare. Most winter have a mix of mild days and cold days, cold rains, freezing rains, and some snow. Days where many go to work when it's dark and come home when its dark. Staying inside sitting by the fire playing card games, board games, going to a Washington Capitals Hockey game, a Wizards game, or watching American Idol helps to pass the long winter nights. If we are lucky we get enough snow to sled in our backyards, build snowmen, have snowball fights, dig tunnels, and make snow forts. For some, like Goodfellers Tree & Excavating, it means working in a truck pushing snow for long hours, using a snow shovel to clear sidewalks, and spreading sand and salt on roads and parking lots (oh and there is the mass consumption of coffee). With all of the leaves off of the trees it is also a great time to have an arborist inspect your mature trees for rot, weather damage, disease, insect damage, or other potential hazards.

Ahh Spring! A time for planting, cleaning and airing out of homes, making repairs caused from the winter, and enjoying the warmer temps. Spring is a time to organize, repair, and maintain yard tools. It's a time to spread fertilizer and prepare for the annual war against weeds that infiltrate lawns and gardens. We are blessed to have several incredible zoos nearby in Richmond, and in D.C. to visit and see any of the newborn animals. It's a time for baseball. We have a local college team, club teams, Semi-pro teams in Richmond (The Flying Squirrels), just north of here we have the Potomac Cannons and just a bit further north the Washington Nationals. Spring is also a great time to have Goodfellers Tree & Excavating out to complete any work you need done to trees on your property.

We live in a great town and are blessed to be in a region where we can truly enjoy each season and all that Fredericksburg and Virginia have to offer.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Snow

I love snow! Now if I lived in Boston or other areas that snow is measured in feet and not inches, I may have a different attitude. But here in Virginia, snow is something that may or may not fall each winter. This year snow has been elusive in the Fredericksburg area until this week. There is something special about going to sleep as the snow is falling and wake up to a world that has been turned white. The air feels and smells different, the snow changes the way things sound, and changes how the landscape looks. Trees that were brown yesterday have white branches, evergreen branches are drooping with the weight of snow; the crunch of snow compacting with every step......Whats not to love.

Have you ever wondered how snowflakes are formed? I found a Q & A from December 10, 2013 on the NOAA web site: http://www.noaa.gov/features/02_monitoring/snowflakes_2013.html that explains how these beautiful white flakes are made.

How do snowflakes form?

The science behind snow

High resolution (Credit: NOAA)

Q: How are snowflakes formed?

A: A snowflake begins to form when an extremely cold water droplet freezes onto a pollen or dust particle in the sky. This creates an ice crystal. As the ice crystal falls to the ground, water vapor freezes onto the primary crystal, building new crystals – the six arms of the snowflake.

That’s the short answer.

The more complex explanation is this:

These ice crystals that make up snowflakes are symmetrical (or patterned) because they reflect the internal order of the crystal’s water molecules as they arrange themselves in predetermined spaces (known as “crystallization”) to form a six-sided snowflake.

Ultimately, it is the temperature at which a crystal forms — and to a lesser extent the humidity of the air — that determines the basic shape of the ice crystal. Thus, we see long needle-like crystals at 23 degrees F and very flat plate-like crystals at 5 degrees F.

The intricate shape of a single arm of the snowflake is determined by the atmospheric conditions experienced by entire ice crystal as it falls. A crystal might begin to grow arms in one manner, and then minutes or even seconds later, slight changes in the surrounding temperature or humidity causes the crystal to grow in another way. Although the six-sided shape is always maintained, the ice crystal (and its six arms) may branch off in new directions. Because each arm experiences the same atmospheric conditions, the arms look identical.

Q: So, why are no two snowflakes exactly alike?

A: Well, that’s because individual snowflakes all follow slightly different paths from the sky to the ground —and thus encounter slightly different atmospheric conditions along the way. Therefore, they all tend to look unique, resembling everything from prisms and needles to the familiar lacy pattern.

So now you know! Enjoy the snow....

Retrieved on February 18, 2015 from: http://www.noaa.gov/features/02_monitoring/snowflakes_2013.html

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Storm Damaged Trees: Prevention & Treatments (Coder, 1995)

The Fredericksburg area has had severe winds the last several days. I found this great article about storm damaged trees, prevention and treatments. After reading this information and determine you would like a certified arborist to evaluate and recommend a treatment plan, please give Goodfellers Tree and Excavating a call at 540-710-9665 or visit our website http://www.goodfellertreeco.com/ and complete the "I need an estimate" section.

Storm Damaged Trees: Prevention & Treatments

Kim D. Coder

Professor Silvics/Ecology
Warnell School of Forest Resources
The University of Georgia

March, 1995

Thousands of shade and street trees are lost every year to wind, ice and lightning. Historic, rare, and specimen trees, especially when landscapes are designed around them, are valuable. These trees can become major aesthetic, financial and social losses in storms. This publication summarizes information to help you understand and prevent storm damage to trees. It also lists resistant species of trees to plant, types of tree storm damage and treatments, and lightning protection systems information.

Definitions

Trees are biologically engineered to adjust to "wind loading." Wind loading is a straight wind from one direction applied evenly over the stem, branches and tree leaves. "Wind release" is the removal of wind loading when the crown and stem snap back into a normal position. In any wind there are gusts and calms. These alternately load and release the tree. Under normal weather conditions, trees sway in the wind. Movements in the wind initiate changes in the woody material developing in the stem.
If a wind continues to come from one general direction all the time, hardwood trees develop extra strength on the side of the tree toward the wind. In conifers, like pine, extra strength is built-up on the side of the tree opposite the wind. If the winds are not strong enough to blow the tree over, the tree will develop a trait known as "wind firmness" over several growing seasons.
Wind firmness is directional. Trees growing under a constant strong north wind are easily damaged by a strong east wind. Fortunately, most open-grown trees develop good wind firmness in all directions over the years. Wind firmness is developed over time in response to wind.

Storm Damage

There are six main types of storm damage to trees: 1 ) blow-over; 2) stem failure; 3) crown twist; 4) root failure; 5) branch failure; and, 6) lightning. Each type is the result of a complex and interactive mix of tree problems and climate.

Blow-over--The tree is physically pushed over by high winds. There is little biological adjustment available for a tree (or people) to make to hurricanes, down-drafts or tornado winds. The wind force on the aerial tree portions is too great for the wood structure. Past tree abuse, poor maintenance, pest problems (like fusiform cankers on pine or root rots on hardwoods) predispose the tree to storm damage by weakening the wood architecture.
Stem Failure--Trees do not heal wounds. Trees can only grow over old wounds and seal them off. This results in a tree carrying in its wood every injury it has ever had. These old injury sites, and the old and new wood around them, are structurally weaker than normal solid wood. These damaged areas can quickly fail under an constant wind loading and release. Pest damage, weak wood around old wounds, new wounds, and failure of the tree to adjust to wind conditions can lead to stem failure under heavy wind loading and release.
For trees with heavy crowns, abrupt wind gusts and calm periods can lead to stem breakage from release. As the wind load is quickly released, the tree moves back into an upright position. If the mass of the crown moves too quickly when released, the inertia of the moving crown may move too far in the opposite direction leading to stem damage and breakage.
Crown Twist--Tree crowns are the leaves and supporting twigs and branches. Trees are never perfectly symmetrical in every direction. Many trees, through past abuse or poor maintenance have lopsided crowns. More wind loading on one side of the crown than on another produces a twist (torque) on major branches and the main stem. Over time the twisting effect can be biologically adjusted for within the new wood. Stem twisting will magnify weaknesses around old injuries and the stem will split or branches collapse.
Root Failure--There are two types of tree roots: fine, absorbing roots and woody, structural roots. As their names imply, absorbing roots have a massive surface area, but are weak. Structural roots are woody, have a relatively small surface area, but are strong. Both types provide anchorage for a tree.

Branch Failure--Branches are poorly-attached to the main stem. A branch is stuck on the side of the stem each year by a small layer of stem wood called the branch collar. The branch collar surrounds the branch base. The woody material from the branch enters the stem and turns downward. This structural arrangement allows the branch to be flexible and disposable. The stem can shut off the branch when the branch becomes a biological liability to the tree (Figure 1.)

Figure 1. Branch collar where stem and branch join.

Figure 2. Codominant branches or forks are bad for tree support. Splitting can easily occur due to a weak crotch area that can contain included bark (bark that has been grown around.

Lightning--Lightning damage is a life-threatening situation. Lightning either moves in a narrow line down the branches, stems and roots, or along a wide pathway encompassing the entire tree cylinder. Lightning directly destroys tree tissues by electrical disruption and heat. Steam explosions down the stem, in a wide or narrow band, show where the electrical current has moved through the tree. Massive root damage can remain unseen.

Preventing Storm Damage

There is no way, except for complete enclosure, to protect trees from all storm damage. Trees are not adapted to worst-case storms only to our average wind climate. Listed are several things to minimize the main types of storm damage:

Let trees adjust to the wind environment. Tight staking and guying from the time of planting holds a tree in place while preventing internal adjustment to wind loading. Always stake and tie the tree loosely where the stem can move and bend in the wind. Keep ties in place for a few growing seasons to insure a well-established root system. Continue to loosen and eventually release the ties. The support stakes can be left in place to protect the stem from mechanical damage. After five to seven years, remove all tree support. The tree will continue to grow and adjust to its new environment.
Practice proper pruning techniques by cutting branches before they become larger than one inch in diameter. The branch collar should not be damaged (Figure 1). The branch collar is part of the stem and, if damaged by poor pruning, provides an avenue of attack into the main stem for pests. Proper pruning minimizes a number of structural problems that occur in association with new wood growth around a pruned branch.
Eliminate codominant branches. Prune forked branches and branches that arise opposite each other on the stem early. Cut one side off now to prevent losing the whole tree later if it splits in a storm. In trees with opposite branching patterns, such as ash or maple, proper branch training is essential for a long-lived, storm resistant tree.
Keep trees as healthy as possible with timely watering and proper fertilization. Healthy, vigorous trees adjust more quickly to changes in the environment, are more wind firm, and react more effectively to damage.
Do not overfertilize the tree with nitrogen or overwater the soil. This can increase the crown surface area and/or decrease the rooting area. This type of biological change makes the tree susceptible to storm damage.
Eliminate lopsided crowns. Prune branches to produce a reasonably symmetrical crown. If more than 70 percent of the crown is on one side of a mature tree, consider tree removal and replacement. Guying and bracing branches are last-ditch efforts when a tree has to be saved in spite of itself.
Remove or treat pest problems, like branch cankers, to minimize potential damage. Do not over-treat tree hollows. Do not remove decayed wood from hollows unless it falls away in your hands. Cleaning hollows can lead to further internal damage. Cover the opening to hollows to allow the tree to grow over the opening, prevent animals from expanding it, and to keep water from running in.
Keep the tree growing upright with one main stem. Prune away branches that compete in height with the main stem. Eliminate branches with tight or narrow crotches.
Install lightning protection systems on historic, rare, specimen or recreational area trees. Consult a qualified arborist or urban forester to insure adequate design. Lightning protection systems are covered in detail later in this publication.
Continue to promote wind firmness by not overcrowding trees and by proper guying and bracing. A tree must always be able to move in the wind. Do not keep a tree tied into position with tight cables. In a stand of trees, slowly remove trees over a number of years to allow wind firmness to develop in the remaining trees.

Retrieved on February 15, 2015 from:http://warnell.forestry.uga.edu/service/library/index.php3?docID=53

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

6 Trees Every Survivalist Should Know & Why

September 9, 2013 By Creek

Now is a good time to go out and flag the following six trees before the leaves drop (except the pine). Revisit them in the winter and learn how to ID them by the bark alone. Then again in the Spring with the buds and new leaves.

White birch (paper birch)

White birch is easy to identify with its distinctive, white, papery bark. The sycamore tree also has white bark, but it does not sluff off in thin, paper-like furls like the white birch. The sycamore also has large hand-shaped leaves versus the white birch’s smaller, oval-shaped leaves with a pointed tip. The birch leaf is also irregularly toothed. These grow almost exclusively in northern climates.

White birch survival uses:

§ Sweet drinkable sap that does not need purification

§ Containers can be fashioned from the bark (and even canoes – hence the name “canoe birch”)

§ It’s papery bark makes some of the finest fire starting tender on the planet, which will light even when damp because of its resinous quality

§ A fine tea can be made from the small twigs at the end of a branch or by shaving the bark from new growth. Toss a palmful of these elements into boiling water for a fresh, wintergreen-flavored tea

§ The tinder fungus (chaga) grows almost exclusively on the white birch tree. The fungus is one of the only natural materials I know of that will take the spark from flint and steel. A piece of tinder fungus along with flint and pyrite to create sparks were even found on Otzi, the “iceman” who was uncovered in the Austrian Alps several years ago.

§ Pine tar can be extracted from the bark of the white birch by heating it over a fire. Pine tar makes an excellent natural adhesive which natives used for all kinds of purposes including securing stone points on arrows.

American Basswood

The American basswood (also called American linden) is a very common tree – especially in the Eastern U.S. It prefers moist soil and is often found by creeks, streams and ponds. It likes to grow several shoots from the base so it’s not uncommon to see the basswood growing in what appears to be clumps. Basswood trees have large, heart-shaped, coarsely toothed leaves and dark red young leaf buds. One of the most distinctive features of the basswood is what I call the “tongue.” A tongue-shaped leaf grows at the base of the regular heart-shaped leaves on mature trees. Hard, little, nut-like fruits dangle from the center of this “tongue” leaf throughout the summer.

Basswood survival uses:

§ Delicious edible leaves – especially in spring

§ “Bass” comes from the word “bast,” which is an old word for rope. The inner fibers from the Basswood make some of the best natural cordage on the planet. In my last course, 2 adult men could not break a 1/2″ thick strip of basswood bark.

§ Basswood is my favorite wood to use in fire by friction sets. It is soft and makes a perfect friction fire wood for bow drill spindles and hearthboards and for hand drill hearthboards.

§ Basswood is preferred by most wood carvers and chainsaw carvers because of how easy it is to work and carve

§ Inner bark layer is edible and can be scraped off with the edge of your knife. It has a very sweet flavor.

White Pine

The leaves of the White Pine grow in batches of 5 needles. Every fall the white pine loses all of its needles except those that grew that year. Pine is an evergreen. Evergreen trees keep some green leaves year-round, unlike deciduous trees, and have needle-like leaves. They also produce cones (pine cones) instead of flowers.

White pine survival uses:

§ Resin can be used a fire extender when mixed with tinder material

§ Resin can be heated and mixed with crushed charcoal to make a natural epoxy

§ Resin-rich joints and stump pieces make incredible fire kindling

§ Make pine-needle tea from the green pine needles – very rich in Vitamin C

§ Inner bark layers are edible

§ Harvest pine nuts from the pine cones

§ Pine needles make excellent fire tinder

§ Pine needles make excellent natural insulation material for debris huts and survival shelters

§ Green pine boughs are perfect for lean-to shelter roofs

§ Green pine boughs are great for making a ‘pine bough bed’ to protect from the cold ground or snow

§ The lower, dry, dead branches of the pine tree (squaw wood) is often some of the driest fire kindling available. It is exposed to the wind and also protected from the elements by the year-round needle canopy above, I’ve also used these branches for making bow drill fire friction sets.

§ Very effective candles and lamps can be made from pine resin

§ Pine resin can be used to waterproof seams in clothing or crude containers

§ The very pliable surface layer roots make excellent (and strong) natural cordage. Use as a whole or split into smaller pieces.

White Oak (and all oaks in general)

White oaks have rounded leaf lobes instead of pointed ones like red oaks. Contrary to popular belief, acorns are edible. I like white oak acorns better because it seems they are less bitter and it takes less effort to leach out the tannic acid (which causes this bitterness) to become more palatable. An abundance of acorns in mid-summer makes the oak family almost impossible to misidentify. Oaks are some of the largest trees in the forest. I have many white oaks at Willow Haven that are over 100 feet tall and easily 3-4 feet in diameter.

White oak survival uses:

§ Acorns (after leaching out the tannic acid) can be ground and used as flour to make acorn bread

§ Tannic acid (which can be extracted by boiling or leaching acorns and/or inner oak bark and twigs) is anti-bacterial. I’ve used it as an antiseptic wash before and have heard of it being used to quell diarrhea.

§ Acorns can be used a trap bait for squirrel and other small game animals

§ Can tan leather using the tannic acid found in bark, acorns and wood

§ Oak is a very hard wood that is good for ax handles, digging sticks and shelter frameworks

§ When dried, the white oak flowers make suitable tinder bundles and can be found in great abundance certain times of the year

Sugar Maple (and pretty much all maples)

The sugar maple is one of my favorite trees and probably one of the most popular in the Eastern woodlands. Its beauty is on full display when the leaves change each fall into bursts of red, orange and yellow. The leaves usually have five lobes, and the tips are pointed. Young maples have smooth silvery bark. The unmistakable, “winged helicopter” seeds are a tell-tale maple tree indicator. Sugar maple is the source for maple syrup. This tree is preferred because its sap has high sugar content. It takes 40 gallons of sugar maple sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.

Sugar maple survival uses:

§ In later winter/early spring when the sap is running, the sugar maple is an excellent source of drinkable water (sap) that needs no purification. Maple Sap is nature’s version of an energy drink – rich in sugar and nutrients. I’ve filled a 1-liter canteen in as few as 15 minutes before. Maples don’t have fully developed (or any) leaves during this time of year – hence the important of 4 season identification.

§ The seeds inside the little helicopters are edible, just like edamame. I just boil them and lightly salt. They can also be fried or added to stews. Remove the outer helicopter.

§ I almost always use maple branches for wilderness cooking. Whether it’s a spit roast, a hot dog stick or utensils, I can always find a maple branch suitable for the task. Maple branches naturally have a lot of forks, which is great for pot holders and other wilderness kitchen uses. I also use the leaves to wrap fish or other small game animals when cooling in an earth oven.

§ Young maple leaves are also edible. Toss them into a salad or boil them down with other spring greens. They get bitter and rough as they mature.

Willow Tree

There are tons of different willow varieties. Every willow I’ve seen has a similar leaf shape. The leaves are narrow, lance-shaped and grow in great numbers along the branches. Willows must be in moist areas to survive. If you’ve found a willow, then there is a water source nearby.

Willow survival uses:

§ Willow bark contains a chemical called salicin, which is similar to aspirin. I can personally attest to its effectiveness in relieving headaches and inflammation. Just chew on a few small green twigs and swallow the juices.

§ In spring and summer, willow bark will peel away from the wood and makes excellent cordage that can be used for a huge variety of tasks.

§ Young willow branches and saplings are very flexible and can be used to weave a variety of different baskets and funnel traps.

§ I’ve used dried willow wood on many occasions for friction fire sets – both hand drill and bow drill

§ Willow saplings make excellent frog and fish gigs. Just split the base into 4 equal sections, press a rock to the bottom of the splits and sharpen the tines.

Feel free to list other uses for these trees that I may have overlooked in the comments below!

Remember, it’s not IF, but WHEN.

Retrieved on February 3, 2015 from: http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/featured-wilderness-survival-blog-entries/5-trees-every-survivalist-should-know-why/

For any tree related services be sure to call Goodfellers Tree & Excavating 540-710-9665 or visit us at http://www.goodfellertreeco.com/

Monday, February 2, 2015

How Old is That Tree? -

Every year on our birthday we have a reminder of how old we are. And if we ever forget, we can always ask our parents! How do you think you find out how old a tree is? When a tree has been cut down, you can count its "rings" in order to tell how old it is, but what about when it is alive? We can't ask a tree how old it is. But there is a way! This activity will teach you and your child a way to estimate the age of a tree without cutting it down. It doesn't work with every tree but it will with a lot of them.

What You Need:

Tree
Measuring tape
Marker
Pen
Paper
Helper

What You Do:

Help your child find a tree that is at least as tall as a grown up and have your child wrap the measuring tape around the widest part of the trunk. (A grown up might need to help with this part!) The distance around the trunk of a tree is called the circumference. Write this measurement down on a piece of paper.
The measurement of the circumference in inches is also the approximate age of the tree in years!

Did You Know?

Every year a new layer of growth occurs just under the bark. Some trees like firs and redwoods may grow more than this in a year, while others like cedars may grow less. This method is a good rule of thumb to estimate the age of a tree.

By Jessica McBrayer http://www.education.com/activity/article/How_Old_Are_They/#.VM_4crpnzJc.facebook

Updated on Jul 6, 2010