Woodpecker Damage on Silver Maple...Should We Remove

[T70]

We have a 60-70 ft Silver Maple that's probably around 65 years old in our backyard. It's currently scheduled to be removed at the end of the week.

It's endured a lot of damage from woodpeckers over the last 6-7 years to the point that a couple of medium-sized branches have broken off of it (one fell onto our roof). It's had 3 nests already with one hole being fairly large and deep into a primary branch. That hole you see in the pics is 3 years old and has yet to compartmentalized as well. The tree is situated between our house and our neighbor's so it's definitely always been a concern in terms of safety.

We've had several arborists and pest control people over to give their opinions and options on what we could do to save this tree. The consensus is nothing can really guarantee that the woodpeckers will leave it alone. Even if we did annual pest treatments there's no guarantee that the damage is already done and the heartwood of the tree is in decline. I've tried owls, reflective spinners and sound machines and those failed miserably.

I was dead set on removal until this morning. I started wondering if we were overreacting and having the tree removed prematurely. My primary concerns are safety and property damage. Could we solve the insect issue? Or is the heartwood of the tree in decline and there's nothing we can do about it?

To those familiar with woodpeckers, what has been your experience? Do we keep throwing money and time at this tree annually to try and control the insect population? Is it too late?

 

[Kaveman]

Some trees are just in the wrong spot.

Woodpeckers can tend to fixate.

Remove and replace the tree with something that won't grow to become a danger in your lifetime, something better suited to that particular situation.

It sucks, I get it, but your roof has already taken a hit, don't chance it.

You care enough to consult professionals. Thats why you're here. Listen to their advise. I don't like picking on a perfectly good tree, but your's ain't perfect, and I'd kill it.

 

[flushcut]

The wood pecker isn’t the cause and generally neither are the bugs it’s going after. The tree already has some kind of decay going on inside that the bugs went after and then attracted the woodpecker.

I would suggest removal and replanting. Silver maples get big and are problematic being weak wooded prone to storm damage and messy in general shedding twigs year round.

 

[T70]

Yeah, my gut tells me removal is the right move. I'm the first one to tell you I don't get emotionally attached to things but this tree has me reeling. It's given us 9 years of shade and lower energy bills since moving in...and it just really was the centerpiece of our backyard. It's tough to see it go.

 

[SeanKroll]

How experienced are the arborists...or are they more aptly called treeworkers?

Did they discuss a maintenance plan with reducing pruning?

 

[T70]

@SeanKroll All of the quotes I received were from ISA certified arborists which was really important for me. I even got quotes from pest control outfits who might even be incentivized to recommend a pest treatment plan and they all basically told me the same thing. The company doing the removal is solid. They gave me a copy of their active insurance and we've had them do smaller jobs for our family in the past. Aside from the anxiety of a crane lifting a tree over our house (and the possibility of a cracked driveway) I've come to terms with its removal.

 

[flushcut]

There are other varieties of fast growing trees that can be planted and trained for the space. The beauty of trees is that they grow. IMO our only renewable resource.

 

[T70]

@flushcut I was thinking something (or maybe a couple) of columnar trees in that space would be nice. We want to shade the patio from the western sun mostly. Definitely want to avoid a tree that grows wide.

 

[friedrich]

interesting, wood pecker holes/cavities are protected in germany. removal is really the last resort. all kinds of animals live in those cavities… bats… silver maples will probably behave much different in the us compared to germany but even though they do rot i think modest reduction is a good short-midterm option.

 

[Nutball]

Silver maples rot very quickly, and are a soft and weak wood.

What about replacing it with a Dawn Redwood?

If a tree doesn't get root bound in a pot or it's tap root disturbed, it can grow very fast with regular watering and fertilizer. Direct seeding is ideal, but can set back the height for the first year or two.

 

[flushcut]

@flushcut I was thinking something (or maybe a couple) of columnar trees in that space would be nice. We want to shade the patio from the western sun mostly. Definitely want to avoid a tree that grows wide.

So more late afternoon/evening sun? I really like Emerald Arborvitae but deer find them tasty. If you go that route get the tallest one you can afford but 7-8’ minimum, just to make sure they are tall enough to get above grazing height. There are also a few columnar juniper varieties to look at that are deer resistant. Where are you located?