Forestry Extension: Community & Urban Forestry
Community & Urban Forestry
Missouri Community Forestry Council MCFC is committed to urban
and community forestry issues in Missouri. Hosting an annual education and networking conference, acknowledging good community forestry
programs with the Missouri Arbor Award of Excellence, and supporting the efforts of other pro-active tree organizations are a few of the
outstanding efforts by the Missouri Community Forestry Council.
In the aftermath of a major storm the initial impulse of property owners is generally along the
lines of "let's get this mess cleaned up." But hasty decisions can often result in removing trees that could have
been saved. Doing the right things after trees have been damaged can make the difference between giving your trees a
good chance of survival and losing them unnecessarily.
"Tree Topping". is the drastic removal of large limbs
and, unfortunately, a lot of people believe it is a good thing. The truth is that topping exposes the tree to disease
and decay, leading to the tree's early death. Experts Agree, Don't Top Your Tree!
Stem-girdling roots, or SGRs, are the result of roots encircling the tree stem and eventually strangling the stem tissue.
Water and nutrients cannot travel up the trunk, depriving the leaves of the building blocks required for photosynthesis.
Yard trees are NOT timber trees. Many calls come into MU Extension
regarding selling backyard trees, especially walnut trees. Reports of black walnut trees being sold for hundreds or even thousands
of dollars often cause homeowners to dream of huge profits.