Tree bark damage?

[Jsaults]

Just an idle question here.....I was wondering if any of you who live and hang in areas where birchs or aspens are common need to take extra precautions with tree straps to prevent bark damage?

You know, wider straps, extra turns of the tree straps and that sort of thing.

Inquiring minds want to know!
Jim

[Cannibal]

I haven't had any issues with Aspens, but their bark is pretty smooth. Even with a Birch, you'd just be stripping away bark that is already shedding. Think of all that good fire-starter you'd have when packing-up in the morning.

[Young hanger]

i never do anything specail for any trees

[Jsaults]

You want the Ents as friends.

Jim

[Law Dawg (ret)]

You want the Ents as friends.

Jim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPK5T...eature=related

[Richard Scout]

I just like to play it safe and use things like these...
http://www.imaginegear.com/Camping-G...-p9219795.html

[JohnSawyer]

As I understand it, those ENO straps are nylon and stretchy... Talk to Paul at http://Arrowheadequipment.webs.com

He has good straps that won't stretch...

[cooldays]

I am not sure what kind of tree has bark that is like big pieces of mulch. This weekend I changed trees though when I saw the bark was "loose". Its Not that hard to find another set of trees. I like the idea of leave it like you find it.

[BBQDad]

Trees take a long time to heal.


I use nice, clean straps---the ones that came with my HH EA. Whenever possible, I take multiple wraps to distribute the load over the greatest area possible.


Elsewhere I have seen discussions of the use of ropes or cords, especially Amsteel/Dyneema, with sticks placed under the cord to distribute the load.

This is __not good__, as it offers the chance of infecting the tree with mold and/or fungus from the ground, or infesting the tree with one or more kinds of insects, bugs, beetles, and so on.

Ropes and cords do not distribute the load over a large enough area.

Remember that the delicate, living part of the tree, mere millimeters thick, lies just beneath the bark.

The damage done to that living wood through the use of ropes or cords may not be apparent for weeks or months.

Nope... I do not have a degree in Forestry. Neither do I have 30 years of research to back me up. All I have is common sense. In this case, I claim common sense is all it takes to come to a correct decision: Use clean straps.

The trees do so much for us. Exercising a little bit of care is the least we can do for them.

[Bomber]

We have A lot of birch trees here in Denmark - never had any kind of troubles with the bark(i use 1"webbing)
Just make sure it doesn't slide around when weighted....