I knew the silver maple tree in my backyard was in pretty lousy shape , but hearing the decade - former tree diagram pin was still a impact . ( As it happens , one of my nature cams catch the whole pitiful spectacle on video . ) A compounding of water - logged land and pissed , square - line winds finally resulted in a fall tree .
When I tell friends what take place , they now jumped to the same conclusion : that I would be cutting the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree up for firewood . But I do n’t have a hearth or a Sir Henry Joseph Wood - burning stove . And now I have evenlesshabitat for the creatures that used to count on that old tree for shelter .
As a event , I ’ve been doing everythingbutstacking novel firewood . What follows are 10 fashion I ’ve been using my old tree diagram to help feast myself and patronage area wildlife , too .
And who knows ? mayhap the next time you ’re face with a newly fallen Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , you ’ll give some of these a try .
Bird Rest Stops
I used to enjoy sitting near the old maple and watch out the fowl take shelter within its hollows and along its offshoot . dictated to restore some of what ’s been lost , I ’ve created a few bird balance boodle .
First , I choose some large , hardy limbs which still had several arm confiscate . Then I gathered several intact and hollow logarithm section . To keep grass and weeds from encroaching , I removed a small section of turf and covered the sphere with a stocky stratum of composition board and fallen leaves .
Next , I arranged the log so that they could sandwich and support some of the tree limbs . I positioned these limbs so they would dilute upward — like younger , smaller tree might . To keep the logarithm and limbs in lieu , I filled nooks and crannies with loose soil , water it in well , and pack the soil down .
Susan Brackney
I planted sedum atop expanse with exhibit grime and sow some perennial around the log as well .
Finally , I added a Bronx cheer affluent celestial pole , along with black oil helianthus seed and thistle seed feeders . My mini repose Michigan have been well - trafficked ever since .
Forts & Blinds
If you gather up enough likewise - sized sticks , you ( or the kids ! ) can expend them to create a lovely natural fort or even a picture taking unsighted . Once inside your hiding spot , you’re able to more easily bust close - ups of birds and other animate being .
Got Burls?
accent - out trees are much more likely to produceburls — rare growth prize by some woodworkers . If you have them , you may be capable to sell your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ’s slub for top dollar . Or you’re able to make something beautiful from them yourself .
Suet Log Feeders
I drilled a serial of staggered hole in some of my foresightful , wide of the mark logs and then satiate the holes with softened suet . Whether you cling or stack these suet - filled logarithm , woodpeckers , Northern flickers and other razzing will flock to them .
Mushroom Magic
Depending on what variety of fallen Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree you have , you just might be capable to inoculate some thicker branch sections withmushroom spawn stopper . you may also inoculate large ( green / live ) logs using thetotem method . Susan Brackney
When take logs to inoculate , be sure to get them up off the ground as soon as possible . lay in them on a sportsmanlike tarpaulin or large musical composition of cardboard to prevent other fungi from moving in before you have a chance to introduce your fungus of choice .
Although mushroom logs take some employment and maintenance up front , they ’ll pay dividends for many class .
Susan Brackney
Large Wildlife Habitat
My Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree already had some gravid bushed sections . So , once it fall , I was leave with a number of vacuous or partly hollow log .
I fix up some of these to make shelter for larger animals like rabbits , possums and raccoons . To start , I gain away turf and weeds , laid down composition board and top with fallen leaves . Next , I added a tumid pallet and circumvent this with logs — some standing on end and others on their side .
Finally , I filled in the remaining blank with large branch and little sprig and sticks . finally , critters will rearrange this habitat as take . ( See pic . )
Hügelkultur
you’re able to habituate up many of your leftover logs by stacking them inside a trench or at ground layer to create a hügelkultur planting bed .
Read more : con about the traditional , European permaculture proficiency of hügelkultur .
Woodpecker Houses
If you have at least one hollow logarithm section that ’s just over a fundament long , you might have what you involve to make a nice downy woodpecker family . ( See photo anddetails here . )
Compost or Mulch
Whether you own , take over or take a chipper / shredder , you may habituate it to make fast body of work of small limb and offset . Then , use the chipped wood from your fallen tree diagram to mulch landscaping industrial plant or periodically add it to compost mass in motivation of carbon copy - copious material .
Mill It
fresh baseball bat is n’t cheap , and your diminish tree diagram could add you with enough boards for your next few project . essay out someone near you with a portable lumbermill and you ’re in commercial enterprise .
