Sycamore tree damaged bark

Hi, we had a bonfire a couple of years ago and it damaged the bark , will the tree be OK or should it be felled to be safe ? I don't want it weakening and uprooting itself as it's near to a neighbours house,thanks x

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Wotcha Joolz

Think this is one for @HarmonyArb

 

The top bits ok @JWK

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We have an Ash tree up in our little wood that has worse damage than your Sycamore but it isn't going to cause death and destruction if it decides to keel over.I can see how your tree has repaired some of the damage where it's sealed over it's bark. Chances are it will be fine unless you get severe gales which will put paid to anything slightly weakened.
However, Without being rude ( we have loads of them here) Sycamore is somewhat classed as a "weed" tree certainly in these parts and while I don't like seeing trees just felled for the hell of it, I would be inclined to take her down, (firewood for winter 2017!). Also there looks like some structure nearby which could easily get damaged should the tree decide to call it a day.
Any time we take a tree down for whatever reason we always plant something new to replace it. There are lots of our native trees which are much nicer than Sycamore, maybe something like our native Rowan, meant to be lucky and birds love the berries, Larch is very attractive or Silver Birch which has lovely golden autumn foliage and silver bark (Betula Jackmonteii is even nicer, not native but has wonderful white bark bit more priceyto buy tho) Nearly all the dozens of trees I have purchased over the years have been bare rooted ( odd exceptions due to variety) and not 1 failure. Indeed buying bare rooted is preferable in my opinion to something in a pot which can often be pot bound. It is also considerably cheaper usually to buy bare rooted. The only snag is you can't plant during the trees growing period and care needs to be taken during it's 1st couple of seasons to make sure it get enough water.You have just now posted a full photo and have got a clearer picture of the tree. It's not small! and is that a greenhouse within maiming ranger!?.
Could be quite expensive to have it taken down unless you can do a DIY? but still think it a good idea to fell.

 

Hi @silu ,thanks ,its just a hen coop that is next to it but there is a house within 40ft behind our bottom hedge which concerns me especially as you say if we get a severe west gale it could clip their house if uprooted:(
The tree has been there over 60 yr to my knowledge,daz used to climb it as a kid and hes almost 50yrs old as this was his nannas house,convincing darran it needs felling is going to be a challenge,if it takes me to get a tree surgeon to come and tell him i will call one out and get a quote
@JWK Them seedlings are horrendous,im sick of pulling them out! and all that stickiness that the tree causes too.
I was worrying more when i seen the cracking on the inner layer of the tree as i hadnt noticed it before,it does look bad :(

 

"Pesky seeds which come up like grass" love this @ JWK. Next year when I'm on my hands and knees pulling out 1000s of the bu....s which seem to get EVERYWHERE I'll think of you doing exactly the same!

 

I'm not a lawyer or insurance expert @joolz68 but you might be able to gently nudge Darren into thinking it best to fell the tree if the subject of liability to damage caused to the neighbours property by your tree falling down just happened to be brought up in conversation .
Not sure but think if you got an arborist out and they said the tree was dangerous and you didn't take the tree down and it subsequently fell damaging your neighbour's property, if your neighbours knew/could prove you had prior knowledge then they or their insurance co could hold you liable. Repeat not a lawyer tho!

 

I was thinking the same silu,it doesnt bare thinking about the possible damage that tree could do and im sure we would be liable! ....even if we wasnt liable i would feel responsible,ive had numerous conversations about it with him,he knows it needs to come down,he thinned the branches out once the best he could,it is a huge tree!
I will send the photos ive taken to our landlady,cant expect her to pay for the fell but im sure if it caused any damage she will be aware of the possible problem with it,plus il need to ask her if we can fell it first .

 

Damaged the bark be damned! Did someone not think about the fire location before it was lit? No, the tree will never be OK. Living things aren't generally OK when scorched so badly.

From the pictures I'd guess that the tree has lost approximately a third of its water conducting vessels - not, in itself, something that it is going to kill it off, but it may lead to loss of vigour and vitality in the future.

The tree shows signs of varying amounts of callusing since the burning as it tries to seal the open wound. If this process continues then wound wood should eventually form.

The cracks in the wood are signs of the heartwood drying out as it is now open to the elements. Heartwood is often resistant to most wood decaying fungi as it is difficult for them to obtain any nutrition from it. However, keep an eye out for any signs of fungal activity on or around the stem.

From a professional standpoint a tree can never be classed as safe. A tree report will provide you with the arborist's findings along with any recommendations. If it's always going to be on your mind about the tree's potential to fall and cause damage then it may be prudent to fell, replant, and keep fire's well away in the future.


Matthew