Dead or dying trees may make you want to pull out the chainsaw, but before you do, consider the many uses snags have for wildlife.
Hi. This is Scott Fitzpatrick from New Hampshire Audubon, bringing you Something Wild.
Have you ever thought that the large, dead tree on your property was an eyesore that should be removed? Or that it would make good fodder for your wood stove? If it's not a safety hazard, then before you start up the chainsaw, consider the critical ecological role the tree plays.
Dead or dying standing trees larger than three inches in diameter and at least six feet tall are called snags, and they are incredibly important to wildlife. Not surprisingly, the value for wildlife increases with the size of the tree. Insects and other invertebrates, such as millipedes and worms, are primary inhabitants of snags.
Not only are these critters terrific food for insect-eating birds such as nuthatches, but together with fungi, they work to decompose the tree. Eventually they soften the wood and create holes. This makes it easier for birds and other wildlife to dig into the tree.
Woodpeckers in search of a tasty meal of insects will excavate larger cavities, which will become nesting sites and dens for other wildlife. At least 35 species of cavity-nesting birds, and many mammals such as flying squirrels, use holes in snags for safe places to raise their young. And in the winter, these same holes can provide cozy shelter from winter storms.
Dead trees are also terrific lookouts for hawks and owls. After the prey is spotted and caught, the snag then often becomes a convenient place to clean and eat dinner.
When snags finally fall, they are still beneficial. They provide shelter for mammals, amphibians and reptiles, and they also act as nurseries for plants by providing nutrient-rich soil for small seedlings.
Dead trees are so critically important to wildlife that forest managers recommend that at least three large snags per acre be allowed to remain in the forest.
For Something Wild, I'm Scott Fitzpatrick.
Something Wild is a joint production of New Hampshire Audubon, New Hampshire Public Radio and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
