Tree Poisoning is, in most cases, an unintentional outcome to the unsupervised and poorly disciplined spraying of herbicides. This involves the destruction of trees and vegetation by applying toxic substances to the ground directly around a tree’s roots, trunk or foliage. Most herbicides are not designed for woody plants. However, repeated or excessive applications of chemicals of any type are detrimental to soil health as they are harmful to beneficial soil microbes. This results in loss of soil health and therefore plant failure. Some herbicides are deliberately designed to target woody plants (invasive weed trees for instance) and can cause irreversible damage to the trees vascular system which ultimately leads to the death of the tree.
Glyphosate is one of the most commonly used herbicides that can harm trees when applied maliciously or improperly and eventually leads to soil degradation. Glyphosate is biodegradable on the paper, as per the product label. However, biodegradability involves active soil microbiology. This is very rarely the case in urban soils. Therefore, it is more likely that chemical herbicides such as glyphosate will accumulate in urban soils when repeatedly applied. Some research papers also argue that the by-products from the herbicide could also be used as a food source by soil pathogens, which will help them take over the beneficial microbes and put trees at risk of infection.
Mismanaged or unprofessional and unplanned application of herbicides to combat weeds can oftentimes lead to the accidental poisoning of trees and other plant life in the surrounding areas. When weed spray applications are performed during periods of high air temperature, the herbicides that are otherwise applied to weed foliage end up evaporating and move as a toxic vapor through the air where it’s poison will be spready across everything in the nearby area. This also occurs when there are high wind speeds, as spray particles may end up being carried around if they are light or small enough.
Integrated Weed Management is a very effective tool in both managing and stemming the growth of weeds in a garden while also being conscious and mindful of our beautifully important urban trees. This management program involves the coordinated use of a variety of control methods that reduce the reliance on herbicides and increase the success chances of eradicating any unwanted weeds. Afterall, the best way to manage the spread of weeds is to simply prevent them from growing in the first place. While herbicides will continue to be an integral part of weed management, even in IWM programs, good management practices can do a lot more.
The timely scouting and identification of weeds in a garden, followed by the rapid execution of control methods, is often the most effective solution to reducing the risk of poisoning your trees and plants while eradicating the target weed(s). This also involves the correct and accurate identification of weeds, so that the correct measures and when necessary, the correct herbicides that can be used to target the weeds to reduce the overall reliance on broad range herbicides.
In some extreme cases, a tree’s trunk may have been injected with a poison deliberately. This method is used for weed tree poisoning and is highly effective as the poison is directly administered into the trees vascular system and spreads throughout the rest of the tree incredibly quickly, often leading to an extremely rapid decline in its health in all areas.
If you suspect that a tree has been poisoned, Heritage Consultancy can help you identify the causes of decline and explain what types of tests are available and assess if the tree can be saved and/or the soil remediated.
Tree vandalism and poisoning are serious acts of environmental harm that can have lasting consequences on trees, ecosystems, and communities. These malicious acts are often punishable by law, and protecting trees from such harm is essential for maintaining the health of the environment. Awareness, monitoring, legal protection, and community involvement are critical to preventing tree vandalism and poisoning and ensuring that trees continue to provide their many benefits to society.
