Maple Trees In Oregon's Willamette Park Being Illegally Logged Burl by Burl

Willamette Park in Oregon is experiencing an upsurge in illegally logged maple trees that are being chopped burl by burl while the trees are still standing.

Illegally Logged in Willamette Park, Oregon

One or more vandals are removing valuable wood from maple trees in Corvallis' Willamette Park.

According to officials, unlawful poaching will inevitably kill the trees.

Jennifer Killian, an urban forester from the city of Corvallis said that burls, which are spherical masses of specialized tree tissue treasured by artists and furniture manufacturers for their unusual patterns, may command a high price.

According to Killian, the tree's wood is exceptionally durable, resistant to splitting, and incredibly lovely; it is highly valued for use in woodworking.

Crooked Wood noted that normal wood grain travels in a single direction, longitudinally along a tree's trunk and branches.

On the other hand, burl development is chaotic, with no obvious grain direction, and it is these uneven patterns of grain that make burl wood so appealing, frequently resulting in exquisite wave and swirl patterns in varied colorations.

Maple Trees by the Burl

The burls provide no special function. However, the cost of removing the wounded trees is most likely death.

The first tree was damaged in December, and 25 burls have been removed from six trees thus far. Killian thinks that the trees are 75 to 100 years old.

Lt. Benjamin Harvey of the Corvallis Police Department said a detective is currently investigating the case, so he declined to elaborate further.

The trees have been chopped in several locations, and some of the burls are 4 feet by 3 feet in size.

All of the tissue under the superficial bark layer is necessary for nutrition transfer to the remainder of the tree.

The trees might starve to death if enough tissue is removed, in addition to being prone to a variety of other dangers.

Global Wood Source said that it is not advised to cut burl wood off a living tree, no matter how stunning it is. The tree can be killed by removing a portion of its trunk.

According to the wood specialist website, it is preferable to scope out a felled tree.

Killian said that when a tree is trimmed in the correct location, specialized cells activate and close over the wound, shielding it from pests, disease, and other dangerous infestations that may feed on the sensitive heartwood.

However, because the poached burls were taken from a region where those cells do not function, the heartwood is going to be exposed throughout the tree's life.

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Damaged, Stressed Trees

The trees, according to Killian, have been severely, irrevocably stressed by the devastation.

She said she's adding the trees to a watch list and that how long they live will be determined by a variety of circumstances, including the heat of the summer and how robust the trees were, to begin with.

Killian believed that the damaged trees' health will deteriorate fast.

The burls are being hacked out with chainsaws, and she suspects that, given their size, more than a single individual is doing it.

Residents have reported hearing chainsaws in the area late at night and informed Parks and Recreation authorities that they thought it was the park maintenance crew.

Killian stated that this would only occur in the most extreme tree problems and that if locals hear chainsaws, they ought to report it simply to be cautious.

Killian stated that the trees that give multiple ecosystem service advantages to the community, the park, and the natural region surrounding the park are being destroyed, which she believes is a pointless horrific act, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.