The Great Debarking

A large maple tree grows across the road from the springhouse, on the other side of the beaver meadow, towering over the old log cabin site and shading the stone pile, just a little ways from the biggest rhubarb plant on the planet. Look carefully at the branches and you will note that some of them have been stripped of their bark. A lot of them. High up ones. I began noticing signs of this growing menace last fall. But this spring, it became painfully obvious.

Then look at this Scotch pine not too far away. The tree is stripped of its bark on the main trunk from 10’ off the ground to its tip. Surely it will die.






And here’s a close up look of a branch this critter and it’s kin have chewed on. Tomorrow I’ll show you some more artistic work by this critter and then we’ll get up close and personal.