Damage in Red Oak in CT, USA

[GoodYautja]

The bark has recently begun to peel away from this damage, I am trying to figure out what the cause is. It looks like mechanical damage to me... i am standing on a relatively new looking deck as I take these photos looking out into the backyard... maybe during construction the damage occurred? I just wonder how the bark grew over it? Maybe that is the nature of mechanical damage? The damage may not be evident until years later, if say it was whacked pretty good with a backhoe etc? The white objects in the corner of the damage is a nut cache from a squirrel. Any thoughts are welcome! Not sure why the photos uploaded sideways...

 

[Treezybreez]

Some times lighting can leave a wound like that. Otherwise probably mechanical. I would pull the bark back to the edge of the wound wood all around.

 

[GoodYautja]

You mean lightning I think? Like a possible exit wound? Interesting. And I will pull the bark back in order to keep it dry, Thank you!

 

[Treezybreez]

Yes, lightning.

 

[Jeff]

Look at the amount of wound wood growth on the side of the injury. This damage was caused years ago. Probably mechanical. I've had this exact issue a number of times where the bark has successfully covered the wound for 10, 20 years and then finally breaks and falls off. Always causes the owner some panic, but nothing really to do at this point. Like Breezy said, pull off the loose bark to let the sun in and help keep it dry.

 

[GoodYautja]

Just for my own conception of the injury, if it were to be mechanical and the bark had been covering it for a long time, do you think we are talking blunt force trauma? Something that was not immediately visible in the tree when it happened but over time the injury manifested, wound wood grew and then the bark fell off? Orrr some heavy scraping and the bark regrew and covered up what was going on for a while during the wound wood growth, only to flake off now? Just trying to understand !

 

[Treezybreez]

Sometimes if a root is damaged, you can find dieback up the trunk. Slime flux is a common problem too.

 

[guymayor]

yes blunt force trauma. and yes trace dead bark carefully.