The Danish Road Directorate blows up trees to create more life
Økologisk NuIn recent years, many initiatives have been taken to help nature. Some are more drastic than others, and at first glance, a tree being torn apart in a shower of splinters and bark seems the opposite of nature conservation. However, it makes good sense to blow up trees, according to a press release from the Danish Road Directorate. A healthy and upright tree is not necessarily the best tree for wildlife. Many animals prefer the sick and old trees with cracks and other imperfections as habitats, but unfortunately, there is a shortage of veteran trees in Danish forests and in open land. To create more trees with these characteristics, the Danish Road Directorate has carried out controlled explosions in a number of treetops in Bjergsted Forest west of Jyderup. Trees should preferably survive The method of explosion is called veteranization. It involves giving younger and healthy trees damage that mimics the natural injuries they would sustain over a long life, where wind and weather pull and tear at them. By detonating the treetops, artificial damages occur that imitate lightning strikes, causing the tree to crack and split. With the veteranization method, the goal is not to kill the tree immediately, but to weaken it enough so that it gradually begins a natural decay with the help of fungi and insects, which can take many years. "It may seem paradoxical that we damage healthy trees to help nature. But for many species, it is precisely the damages and holes that make a tree a good habitat. With the explosions, we initiate a development that will make the trees more valuable for wildlife," says Christian Bell, landscape manager in the environmental department of the Danish Road Directorate. Mitigating habitat loss The background for the tree explosions in Bjergsted Forest is the construction of the final phase of the Kalundborg motorway, where it is necessary to remove some trees. Therefore, the Danish Road Directorate is working to restore habitats and support wildlife in the affected areas. "We cannot replace an old forest overnight. But by veteranizing trees locally, we can help develop new habitats in the area where we have had to remove trees," says Christian Bell. Veteranization is not yet widespread in the Danish Road Directorate's projects, but the ambition is for the method to become a standard part of work with biodiversity. Therefore, the experiences from various methods will be used to target future efforts.
In these years, many initiatives are being taken to help nature. Some are more drastic than others, and at first glance, a tree being torn apart in a shower of splinters and stripped bark seems to be the opposite of nature conservation. But it makes good sense to blow up the trees, as stated in a press release from the Danish Road Directorate.
A healthy and upright tree is not necessarily the best tree for wildlife. Many animals prefer the sick and old trees with cracks and other imperfections as habitats, but unfortunately, there is a shortage of veteran trees in Danish forests and in open land.
To create more trees with these types of characteristics, the Danish Road Directorate has carried out controlled explosions in a number of treetops in Bjergsted Forest west of Jyderup.
The trees should preferably survive
The method of explosion is called veteranization. It involves giving younger and healthy trees damages that mimic those trees can naturally acquire over a long life, where wind and weather pull and tear at them. By detonating the treetops, artificial damages occur that imitate damage from a lightning strike, causing the tree to crack and split.
With the veteranization method, the goal is not to kill the tree immediately, but to weaken it so much that it gradually begins a natural decay with the help of fungi and insects, which can take many years.
”It may seem paradoxical that we damage healthy trees to help nature. But for many species, it is precisely the damages and hollows that make a tree a good habitat. With the explosions, we initiate a development that will make the trees more valuable for wildlife,” says Christian Bell, landscape manager in the Danish Road Directorate’s environmental department.
Should mitigate the loss of habitats
The reason for the tree explosions in Bjergsted Forest is the construction of the final phase of the Kalundborg motorway, where it is necessary to remove some trees. Therefore, the Danish Road Directorate is working to recreate habitats and support wildlife in the affected areas.
”We cannot replace an old forest overnight. But by veteranizing trees locally, we can help develop new habitats in the area where we have had to remove trees,” says Christian Bell.
Veteranization is not yet widespread in the Danish Road Directorate’s projects, but the ambition is for the method to become a standard part of work with biodiversity. Therefore, the experiences from various methods will be used to target future efforts.