- What is hypoxylon, and why is it causing our trees to fall?
- Frank Thibodeaux from Bob's Tree Preservation in Scott explains why harsh weather mixed with this disease are killers for trees in our area.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Harsh conditions have uprooted trees all around Acadiana. Hoping to learn get to the 'root' of this problem, KATC sent its Iberia Parish reporter to learn more about another factor that's causing trees to fall.
“Ya know if anything, maybe this storm can wake us up, and we can get prepared for this coming hurricane season." Frank Thibodeaux is the president of Bob’s Tree Preservation Co. in Scott."You couple intense heat from last summer [with] extreme drought….those two items lead to health stress.”
Thibodeaux said that during a drought, you can tell when a tree is stressed based on three things: Its bark, its age, and its soil quality.
“You’ll have some bark missing, and sort of a gray to black charcoal look. Age is a factor; old trees are less able to adapt to harsh conditions, like drought. Trees that are in poor soil quality tend to suffer the most, and immediately after. When we have stressed out trees, especially the old trees, then they become more susceptible to insect or fungal or disease attacks.”
According to Thibodeaux, 'one disease in particular seems to be very active' in the heat and during droughts. “…and we’re seeing that infect a lot of trees right now," Thibodeaux explained, "'hypoxylon'” targets dying trees and finishes them off. When their defenses are really weak, then that disease moves in and really finishes off the tree.”
The tree preservationist explained this as "it’s nature’s way of cleaning up after itself." "Our live oaks, ya know, they were made for this area, they were made for hurricane-prone areas; but all trees are susceptible when wind speeds exceed 75 miles an hours.”
According to Thibodeaux, right now, there is a nationwide push to keep trees specifically in urban settings; that’s why he encourages everyone to take care of their trees.
"Properly maintain trees. Trees that are properly pruned, properly watered, are in good soil condition...we have a lot less failure in a storm event.”
