Park staff approve “crutches” for small dead tree

The tree central to this photo is not entirely in view, we know, but take a good look at its condition.  Trust us when we tell you that the rest of it is as dead and just as pathetic!

At a glance you would think it undeserving of appreciation.  Incapable of any service at all.  It provides no beauty or shade.  Not a single feature of the tree pleases the eye. Why it died we do not know.  But it lingers in a county park, impoverished of leaves, drawing a brittle, arthritic profile against our clear California sky.  These Orange County park staff members agreed with us!  It was not worthless!

Why?  Because on a closer look the tree reads like a history book.  It provides a record of the birds and small wildlife that nest within it, eat its insects, and benefit from it in other ways.  And that’s why these men are our heroes!  They agreed to do some selective limb removal and give the tree a little support with a small pair of “crutches.”  Now it is safe to remain in service a while longer.

It can take some trees a hundred years to mature, and a hundred more to die.  Whether large or small like this one, while a tree dies its benefit to wildlife actually increases.  This shows how an easy, inexpensive solution can sometimes allow even a small tree to remain safely in place for a while longer!  Regular monitoring is, of course, recommended.