Crop of Green Poles

[greenghost]

Does anybody know what all those light green poles I've been seeing on land along the roadways are? They are about 5 feet tall, spaced ten feet apart, look like they have some sort of rubber or latex cap and are on hillsides and slopes. I assumed they are some sort of venting for fill gases or something. But I'm not sure. Some plots literally have hundreds of them. Does anybody here have the skinny on the poles? Thanks.

 

[osprey]

Sounds like the things they use to protect seedling trees from getting eaten till they reach a certain size but i don't think those have caps on. Where did you see em?

 

[greenghost]

osprey,
No they are definitely not seedling poles. I've been seeing them here in SW PA in quite a few places. One of the most frequently viewed places might be the plot on I79 S between Portersville and Zelionople exits. They are mostly on hillsides and hollows, places that look like fill spots or maybe natural gas occurrences. Just a guess.

 

[skeeter]

Not to reiterate what osprey had to say but the really sound like tree protectors.
They usually go up this time of year and PennDot may be trying to plant hillsides that need a little overstory to protect them from eroding. If you had a picture I'd like to see it.

 

[greenghost]

skeeter,
These things have been up for years in some locations. I'm going to try and take a pic of them this weekend to post. They are definitely not tree poles. They are unsightly as hell. I certainly wouldn't want them on my property. They render large plots of land unusable.

 

[Acristickid]

Any findings on what they are?

 

[greenghost]

Remember how I said, "They are definitely not tree poles."

Well, they definitely ARE tree tubes.

I drove by the plot on I79 -- didn't have time to take a pic -- but damned if they didn't look exactly like the tubes skeeter linked from his post. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance photograph any of the plots, but some are pretty expansive.

What threw me was the fact that a) trees are actually inside the tubes so you can't see them (as opposed to the typical support poles tied to the side of the sapling.) b) some of these poles have been up for three years and the trees haven't grown through them yet c) for whatever reason, some of the tubes have sort of a cap on them, maybe they do that in the firs tyear or something.

Anyway, skeeter and osprey, you guys are on the "stick."

And I'm just a stubborn box head.

Thanks.

 

[vern]

Tree tubes protect young trees from deer predation, and, if installed correctly, against damage from voles and rabbits (eating bark along the base of the tree).

The tops have a mesh covering to prevent additional predation.
The tubes stay on the tree until the tree has grown substantially so the terminal ends are above the tubes (the mesh needs to come off when the tops of the saplings reach beyond the top of the tubes, otherwise they can cause deformation of the tree).
The tubes are necessary to ensure better survival. (They may be mandated, depending on whether the plantings are done as part of a federal or state cost-share program. This helps protect the landowner and the tax-dollar investments in conservation.)

While PennDOT may be doing some of the planting noted, numerous similar plantings are done for riparian buffers and for tracts that have highly erodible characteristics. I suspect the plantings are done by private landowners.

(PennDOT however has been in the news lately because it has been cutting more trees along the roads it services to ensure better views for its traffic cameras.)

Depending on funding, programs may be available through the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, or through non-profit groups dedicated to environmental and water quality improvements, such as T.U., Pheasants Forever, etc.

If you are an agricultural landowner with erosion concerns, and an interest in possibly participating in a program, check with a local conservation district or NRCS office for program activity and program sign-up availability.

Otherwise, a numer of tree nurseries offer them for sale for general public use.

While the tubes are something of an unnatural sight, they shouldn't be on the trees any longer than 10 years, and most likely will be off the trees in 5 years. It all depends on the growth of the trees, and the attention to responsibility by the owner/participant.

What the tubes do indicate is that the landowner is participating in a conservation program or is otherwise concerned about ensuring tree growth on those acres.

Hope that helps.

 

[greenghost]

Vern,
Thank you for the info! You certainly know your tree tubes.

They must be either a fairly recent invention or more people are into planting trees via the Green Movement and all. I don't remember seeing them until a few years ago.

 

[osprey]

Greenghost .........there is another type of green ploes , seeing them in the davidsville holsopple area of somerset county they have a white plastic solid , sealed cap on then and upon asking conemaugh township municiple worker friends they are home sewage portals , the only thing different from what you describe is they are only one per residence and not herds of em , the herds part made me say tree protectors but.................Did you check them out Real closely?