Who likes dead trees? by Susan Leggett
Your Green Space Conservancy does!
Dead trees are most often viewed as eyesores with no intrinsic value. However, as it happens, dead trees, whether standing or downed, are incredibly valuable to both wildlife and birds. One arborist has extolled dead trees, writing that “No man-made structure matches the ecological usefulness of a sizeable dead tree and few living things are as overlooked and unappreciated, but wildlife and the vast community of industrious inhabitants that will eventually work on a tree’s remains in the soil below know the value of a tree in decline.” (Gillian Martin, “The Dying Tree, Nature’s Legacy,” Arborists News, December, 2015.)
Dead trees and downed wood are left on Seabrook Island’s conserved lots unless they pose a hazard. Dead trees serve a crucial function in the ecosystem by providing wildlife habitat, cycling nutrients, promoting plant regeneration, decreasing erosion and increasing drainage and soil moisture.
All parts of standing dead trees (snags) and downed trees can serve as habitat for a host of plants, birds and animals including fungi, mosses, lichens, invertebrates, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The decayed surface, the loosening bark, hollowed cavities and unadorned perches serve as places for foraging, food storage, protective cover and nesting. Many species that thrive in snags control insects and pests, while birds of prey seek the vantage point that dead trees afford for hunting rodents.
According to South Carolina DNR biologist Johnny Stowe, snags provide habitat for at least 85 bird species that nest in tree cavities. “Cavities in snags are a critical resource for many species, and cavity-nesting birds can comprise up to 40% of the bird community within some forests.” Cavities also provide homes for mammals such as bats, gray squirrels, and raccoons as well as frogs, snakes, honeybees, wasps, spiders and aquatic invertebrates.
What frequently goes unseen are the activities and presence of the small creatures such as lizards and ants that not only serve as a food source for larger species, but also prey upon beetles, fly larvae, spiders and worms that feed on forest debris. Dead logs and snags are also the major home for pollinating insects like wasps and bees that are some of the major pollinators of flowers and berry-producing shrubs. Ultimately downed logs enrich the soil and help maintain a deeper layer of leaves and other organic material that holds moisture and reduces floods.
While Seabrook’s conserved lots are ideal for leaving dead trees to decay naturally, homeowners who are faced with what to do with a dying tree may consider consulting an arborist about saving at least part of the tree. The Cavity Conservation Initiative, which promotes the safe retention of dead and dying trees, offers resources regarding the maintenance and safe retention of dying trees at their website www.cavityconservation.com.
Submitted by Susan Leggett for the Seabrook Island Green Space Conservancy
