Week 2 of the front grove.
March
16, 2004
Here
in Evergreen elk and deer are a serious concern to any landscaper and, given the
political structure and the system that governs wildlife, the situation is
likely to become worse before it improves.
A drive around the area or a conversation with virtually any home or
business owner will confirm the problem. Anyone
trying to grow or maintain almost any kind of foliage must be aware of it.
To plant without adequate protection is foolish because the plants simply
will not survive.
A
look around Evergreen will also reveal the many, varied solutions erected to
attempt to deal with the problem. Many
residents, like myself, came from the east or west and are working suburbanites;
we do not know how to deal with the numbers and sizes and species of animals so
common here. Stores do not really
sell solutions and there is precious little useful information available.
As a result, most of the attempted remedies are unsuccessful, in addition
to potentially being costly, unsightly, and an overall nuisance.
Aspen
of course are just one example of trees that are susceptible.
They are by far the most sold and planted variety of tree here.
They are, by most accounts, exceptionally pretty trees and they prosper
in conditions native to this area. In
the wild or when subject to heavy elk and deer “browsing” like we have here,
their destruction is near 100 percent.
This
is a solution that needs to be shared. While
it is original and perhaps unique, it is based on relatively commonly-available
provisions. The primary component
is chicken wire used to protect trees up to a height of at least six feet.
The
following picture shows the use of chicken wire (also known as poultry netting)
in what is referred to here as “the front grove.” These trees are very visible to wildlife and the terrain
makes them difficult to protect. They
have been subject to heavy browsing and damage.
Years of numerous, mostly unsuccessful fencing efforts and constant
maintenance has produced a few mature trees and about a dozen fledglings.
One can see, if looking at the top of the photo at the sky, that this
grove will soon fill the blue with leaves and growth, producing shade, privacy,
and beautiful colors. These healthy aspen will dramatically improve the entire
front façade of this home.
Week 2 of the front grove.
It
is difficult to see in this photograph that the trees are all protected against
virtually any damage from wildlife. These
trees will only become larger and healthier!
The
next picture shows a close-up of the protected trees in the front grove, each
with chicken wire protectors six feet high.
The protectors are cut from netting widths of between twelve and
thirty-six inches, depending on the width of the tree.
It is difficult to predict how much and how fast such undisturbed trees
will grow in the spring and as a result, the wire protectors are cut large and
lose. As can be seen, some
horizontally-growing branches are left on the trees and the protectors are cut
or adjusted around them.
So
far this spring none of these trees has been harassed by wildlife.
Height of about six feet for protected trees in
front grove (Week 2).
The final photo which follows shows what may be the most remarkable, and unexpected, application of this approach. This is an immature aspen grove that had previously been protected by a large, dilapidated fence pieced together with welded wire fencing, snow fencing, and fencing wire. A long wooden stake, seen leaning in the background, served as one of the makeshift posts. After a few years of maintenance several dozen young trees between three and six feet tall have survived. With the onset of spring growth the trees have been heavily pruned to be single shoots each. Now, about a week after the last pruning, the trees have recovered from the cutting and are growing skyward again. Some of the trees are also recovering from being squashed under the fence, hence the still-arced growth of some of the shoots.
At
this stage it is useful to recognize that these are trees, not bushes or shrubs.
The would-be forest can only be so thick, and only so many mature trees
can realistically be expected to survive. Decisions
must be made and additional thinning must take place.
Based on the spacing, which is not entirely evident from this photo,
maybe fifteen to twenty trees will need to be chosen for protection.
The
photo shows that about a half-dozen of the trees, so far, are protected by long
chicken wire cylinders. These are
all six feet tall except for one that is five feet; each is a rolled 12-inch
wide piece of 1-inch chicken wire, which when round and secured, results in a
cylinder with a diameter of 3.8 inches. If
the trees are pruned to grow in this way the prefabricated wire enclosures can
be easily placed over the entire tree. The cylinder touches the ground and the growing tree reaches
over the top so that the device will not interfere with further growth.
Week
2 of the side grove.
As
described in the first part of this article, chicken wire protection for more
mature trees is an excellent way to maintain long-term tree survival.
The cylinders employed in this second grove may well be this long-term
protection! So far not a single
protected shoot has been damaged by animals.
And, amazingly, every wire protector has remained in place through snow
and very high winds. The trees appear to be healthy and growing.
It
must be mentioned that some additional, low-level fencing solutions are also
being employed at both these locations to attempt to derail large groups of elk
and families of deer. Especially in
this second situation, it is probable if not likely that an elk herd would
easily destroy almost all the young aspen and completely trample the wire
protectors. Not visible in the
previous photograph is a nearby stone wall and a small section of snow fencing.
Updates
and additional photos here will show whether or not this approach continues to
work and if the “side grove” turns into a tall and colorful cluster of
aspen. So far, all indicators are
extremely positive.
Perhaps
residents in some parts of the country are fortunate enough to have foraging
beasts that are smaller than those here in Evergreen. As a general rule of thumb here, almost any foliage not
protected to a height of at least six feet is subject to being eaten or damaged.
A plant or tree protected up to this height, taking into account terrain
steepness which could increase this height, is relatively safe.
This theory may of course be applied to other plants besides aspen.
In
a more general sense this is an approach that attempts to coexist in a wildlife
situation that some would say is out of control. Except for gigantic 8-foot elk fences, stopping the animals
is almost impossible. This approach
seems to succeed in allowing tall, healthy trees to coexist with wildlife.
It also does not require permits and it conforms to all Jefferson County
zoning regulations.
As
a bite-into-barrier metal seems to work best and an additional plus is that it
does not require staking to remain erect and in place.
Also, it does not appear to damage, smother, or restrict the tree in any
way. Chicken wire in particular is
inexpensive, relatively easy to cut and form, and it is widely available.
In addition it is quite permanent and it weathers just a bit so as to
become aesthetically innocuous. So
far at least, it is not clear what type of maintenance, resizing, or replacement
may be required.
Yesterday
I spent about three hours searching the U.S. Patent Office website and reading
the various patents that people have obtained relating to wildlife and foliage.
Maybe it is my marketing background that makes the distribution and
branding of such products seem so intriguing, particularly given the very
diverse attitudes and knowledge that seem to exist around this subject.
The crux of this particular system,
however, is basically cut, rolled
chicken wire. My conclusion was
that it would seem to be impossible, perhaps even selfish and wrong, to try and
own and restrict the promotion of such a system or device. It is inconceivable to think that anyone cannot buy a roll of
chicken wire and protect a tree.
Still, I wish there had been a store or a website I could have gone to for information and supplies, and maybe even a proven "product." I wonder if others share this view. For me, it would have prevented years of ill-fated efforts, expenses, and anguish.
For now the most important thing is to share this knowledge and approach.
Consider it shareware for homeowners in Evergreen and elsewhere.
In
the Future:
Weekly photo updates
Examples of Some Less Than Optimal Plant Protection
Methods
Elk and Deer Solutions for Other Types of Trees
Supplies for Elk and Deer Solutions
© 2004 Peter C. Pfeiffer
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