Skip to Main Content
U.S. Forest Service
Caring for the land and serving people

United States Department of Agriculture

Home > Search > Publication Information

  1. Wood decay and the cleanup crew

    Share via EmailShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare on Twitter
    Dislike this pubLike this pub
    Author(s): Kevin T. Smith; Jessie A. Glaeser
    Date: 2017
    Source: Tree Care Industry. 28 (6): 54-59.
    Publication Series: Scientific Journal (JRNL)
    Station: Northern Research Station
    PDF: View PDF  (2.0 MB)

    Description

    Arborists are encouraged to recognize the wood-decay process as an important factor in tree health and public safety. Technical experts who develop training materials to recognize wood-decay processes in living trees are frequently forest pathologists. Much of the history of forest pathology was to support production of sound, high-quality timber. That heritage is passed on in terms used by arborists today that are derived from timber production, such as "defect" and "degrade." These terms are used for genuinely adverse conditions such as cracks and seams. Unfortunately, the terms are also sometimes applied to positive features that contribute to tree recovery and stability, such as response growth and woundwood formation. Mushrooms and other fungal fruiting bodies are signs of infection. However, such infections are not necessarily the enemy of healthy and safe landscapes.

    Publication Notes

    • Check the Northern Research Station web site to request a printed copy of this publication.
    • Our on-line publications are scanned and captured using Adobe Acrobat.
    • During the capture process some typographical errors may occur.
    • Please contact Sharon Hobrla, shobrla@fs.fed.us if you notice any errors which make this publication unusable.
    • We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
    • This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.

    Citation

    Smith, Kevin T.; Glaeser, Jessie A. 2017. Wood decay and the cleanup crew. Tree Care Industry. 28 (6): 54-59.

    Related Search

    XML: View XML
Show More
Show Fewer
Jump to Top of Page
https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/54267