It’s common to walk down a trail and come across a tree scarred with people’s names. Whether they’re professing their love or telling the world where they were, these markings leave permanent damage. Tree service specialists like Alton Tree Services in West Hartford, CT, want to raise awareness by sharing facts about the harmful practice. Trees are essential to your local ecosystem, and caring for them properly is as much a science as it is a skill. To understand the effects of carving, you need to learn about tree growth in general.

Why Tree Service Specialists Discourage Carving

Bark & Phloem

Directly underneath the dense outer bark of a tree is the inner bark that contains the tree’s supply of phloem. Phloem is the living tissue that transports energy captured in the leaves to the rest of the plant. Without it, there’s no way for the tree to absorb the nutrients it needs to survive. While most people who carve trees think they’re only harming the bark, the tip of their knives almost always mars the inner layer of phloem. A big tree will work around a small cut, but trees that serve as massive canvases for passerby to mark can’t recover. Professional tree service can’t save them, so they slowly starve and die.

At-Risk Trees

The outer bark of a tree serves as a kind of protective shield to protect the inner workings of the system. It’s made from dead tree matter, and its only purpose is to cover the more vulnerable parts of the tree. While oak trees develop thick layers of outer bark, birch trees only have a thin outer layer. Tree carvers typically choose birch trees because they’re easier to mark, but that’s the same characteristic that will kill the tree. It’s impossible to carve a birch tree without also damaging the inner phloem. Birch trees die from being carved because their vulnerability makes them an easier target.

Trees do a lot of positive things for people—including purifying the air and giving homes and neighborhoods unparalleled curb appeal. You can return the favor by spreading the word about how to protect them from a premature death. For more facts about trees and tree removal, contact Alton Tree Services at (860) 236-9027. You can learn more about their residential tree services on their website.