Australian weather can be so volatile. One moment you're basking in the sun, and the next minute there's a ferocious thunderstorm surrounding your home. When we moved to our first property, we had a near-miss when part of a tree came down during a storm. Luckily, it missed our house, but it did flatten my gorgeous rose garden. Tree maintenance is very important in Australia, and my blog deals with all the different ways you can maintain the health of your trees. From pruning to identifying tree rot, find out how to look after your trees, so they don't come tumbling down when the winds pick up.
Why And How You Should Remove Parkinsonia Trees From Your Farmland
There are many reasons why you might wish to have one or more trees removed from your property, but some reasons for tree removal are far more pressing than simply making space for a new building or driveway. Australia's problems with invasive species of plant and animal are well known, and there are a number of invasive, non-native trees that can cause significant damage to the surrounding native ecosystem if allowed to grow unchecked. In many cases, you may be legally obligated to remove any of these trees that grow on your land.
One of the most widespread and damaging of these invasive trees is the Parkinsonia, also known as the Palo Verde, Jerusalem thorn or jelly bean tree. With a range that spreads across vast swathes of the Australian mainland, these trees can be encountered by farmers and landowners in almost any location and must be removed as soon as possible.
Why is it important to remove Parkinsonia trees from your land?
The Parkinsonia tree was introduced to Australia at the turn of the 20th century, and was initially intended to serve as a simple ornamental tree; however, gardeners and arborists soon discovered that, once established, a mature Parkinsonia tree can produce thousands of viable seeds each year. These seeds remain viable for several years and can be spread by wind, animal consumption and moving bodies of water.
Consequently, a single Parkinsonia tree can turn into a dense, choking thicket of closely-packed trees within the space of a few years. These Parkinsonia thickets brutally kill off native vegetation by draining the soil of water and nutrients and producing thick canopies of foliage that starve native plants of light. These thickets can become so large and dense that they become impossible for humans or animals to traverse, and tend to grow in particular abundance by streams and rivers.
These qualities make parkinsonia trees a particularly hated menace for farmers, who can see their crops starved of vital nutrients and water access for their livestock blocked by impassable thickets. Since just one parkinsonia tree can quickly spawn a tangled thicket of trees in such a short space of time, these trees must be removed as soon as they are discovered.
How can parkinsonia trees be removed from your land?
To tackle a Parkinsonia infestation on your farmland, calling in professional tree removal specialists is the first and most important step. These professionals possess the knowledge and equipment required to completely remove a Parkinsonia infestation when even a single seed left behind can cause another tree to spring up within a matter of months.
As for removal methods, you have a number of options to choose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Consult with your chosen tree removal service and take their advice seriously when choosing from the following removal methods:
- Mechanical removal is the simplest method and involves tearing the trees out of the ground using bulldozers, chain dragging and other mechanised equipment. A very effective method of tackling thickets of young trees, mechanical removal of larger, mature trees can be more difficult and expensive. You will also have to schedule follow-up inspections if you choose this method, as removing established trees will draw dormant Parkinsonia seeds to the surface and allow them to germinate.
- Controlled burning is another highly effective method of removing younger trees and can be used to damage mature trees to the point where they can be mechanically removed more easily. This method is also more effective at destroying seeds that have yet to germinate, but using fire is more dangerous and must be done carefully under constant supervision. It is not suitable for farmland located close to urban or suburban areas.
- Herbicides can be very effective at killing seeds, young trees and mature trees and are the best way of tackling older, established tree thickets. Since Parkinsonia trees tend to grow close to bodies of water, widespread spraying of herbicides is inadvisable; instead, tree removal services will strip the bark from mature trees and apply the herbicides to the exposed wood, slowly but steadily killing the tree and allowing it to be easily uprooted and removed.