We are heading out to Vogel State Park this summer, it is our favorite campground because of all of the shade and cooler mountain temps. I have been hearing lately that the new manager cut a lot of trees out of the campground over the winter and that some sites get a lot more sun. Has anyone been there recently? Please tell me this is not the case. It has taken hundreds of years for those beautiful trees to grow and I really hope the new guy hasn't ruined the campground.
I've noticed the same thing happening in National Forest camp grounds in Colorado. I don't know what is their criteria for removing certain trees but I'm wondering if a tree is even slightly infected with beatles or maybe leaning a little where it might fall (covering their own a__ in case of a damage suit by a camper). Just guessing but it looks like they are going to extremes.
We were there in early April and it was a pretty as ever. Of course it was 8 plus years since our last visit. Just love that area. They were working on laying new power/electric lines under ground and there was a bit on construction, but no tree removal/trimming that we saw.
Enjoy! We did!
Camping in a Sportsmobile. How much better can it get?
Here in SoCal, municipalities have been sawing down some of the old, majestic Eucalyptus trees by the dozens...it appears that in their native Australia the root systems sink very deep and make the trees extremely resistant to being blown over.
But here in Southern California where thousands and thousands were planted to become wind barriers for crops and orange groves and prevent erosion since the 1850's...their root systems are very shallow.
And they were also touted as a good source for lumber...but it turned out that Eucalyptus wood lumber twists and warps when it dries! And it is extremely hard wood to cut! And the sap is nearly as flamable as fuel oil. "Eucalyptus trees are one of the world's most inflammable trees."
When forest fires occur, the Eucalyptus trees actually explode and spread the fires uncontrollably like flame throwers.
And having a hundred to 200 foot plus tree that is inflexable in the famous seasonal "santana winds", AND has a shallow rooted topple over has caused a lot of deaths and property damages.
SO....insurance carriers all over the State are requiring Parks, RV Campgrounds, Municipalities to cut the trees down to prevent deaths and damage when they topple over in the wind.
I know several RV Parks that have to have insurance company required "certified arborists" come into the Campgrounds and evaluate every single tree...you'll see tags on these trees to identify them.
The services also trim branches and prune the trees if needed. If the trees do not pass their "physicals" they are cut down.
This is what we are seeing at Campgrounds we have visited, and more and more Campgrounds in State, National and Privately owned properties are doing this.
Including Vogel State Park most likely.
Aparently there are way to many Attorneys with "Killer Tree Specialist" on their business cards!
My posts shouldn't be taken for factual data. They are purely fictional, for entertainment purposes and should not be constituted as actually related to scientific, technical, engineering, legal, spiritual or practical advice. Amen.
Any amount of beetle infestation is reason enough to remove the trees affected. Once a tree is attacked it is a goner, to leave it a while longer will only result in the bugs spreading to more. There is no way to save infected trees.
Search about Emerald Ash Borers, Mountain Pine Beetle, Gypsy Moth and more.
fordsooperduty wrote: And they were also touted as a good source for lumber...but it turned out that Eucalyptus wood lumber twists and warps when it dries! And it is extremely hard wood to cut! And the sap is nearly as flamable as fuel oil. "Eucalyptus trees are one of the world's most inflammable trees."
When forest fires occur, the Eucalyptus trees actually explode and spread the fires uncontrollably like flame throwers.
Have been in a severe fire in 1996. It felt like the place was being napalmed. You could hear stands of trees sxploding like bombs. The Fire was so severe the flames and "eucalypt "bombs" lept a 300 yd bend in a river.
SETenn wrote: We are heading out to Vogel State Park this summer, it is our favorite campground because of all of the shade and cooler mountain temps. I have been hearing lately that the new manager cut a lot of trees out of the campground over the winter and that some sites get a lot more sun. Has anyone been there recently? Please tell me this is not the case. It has taken hundreds of years for those beautiful trees to grow and I really hope the new guy hasn't ruined the campground.
Thanks
It's as beautiful as ever. The little bit of sun that does make it through the canopy doesn't last long because of the narrow cove surrounded by the tall mountains. You might get a couple of hours around midday, that's it. As the remaining trees go through a growth spurt because of the lack of competition, the openings in the canopy will disappear. Selective removal also allows the other trees to be able to grow stronger by removing competitors for nutrients, sun and water.
The trees removed were infested with the wooly adelgid that's attacking hemlocks in the Appalachians. The pines struggle with the pine borer beetle that's been a problem in the Appalachians for some time now. Also some storm damaged trees and those smaller trees that have squeezed out the campsites had to go. We were there for Vogel Volunteer Day.
First law of science: don't spit into the wind.
Keep on rollin'!
Magnus
We were at Vogel in early April and while there were trees cut, it didn't seem to me that the sites were any less shaded than on previous visits to Vogel.
wagonmaster2 wrote: I've noticed the same thing happening in National Forest camp grounds in Colorado. I don't know what is their criteria for removing certain trees but I'm wondering if a tree is even slightly infected with beatles or maybe leaning a little where it might fall (covering their own a__ in case of a damage suit by a camper). Just guessing but it looks like they are going to extremes.
Wagonmaster2
No sir - the mountain pine beetle has gone 'extreme'!! And leaning trees? In public cgs (like USFS) there is an official" hazard tree" removal program. The agency(ies), unfortunatly are very subject to "negligence' law suits that folks like you and me can bring anytime do naturally they do tend to CYA.
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