Lake Lafayette. Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat
If you have ever paddled Lake Lafayette, you might have noticed there is an abundance of snags in the middle of and encircling the lake–dead trees that have been left standing to complete their life cycle naturally. Every single one of them is being utilized, whether it is a majestic great blue heron nesting at the top, or the tiniest beetle crawling through the crevices. While we may not all have the pleasure of observing a great blue heron in our front yard, snags are extremely important in an ecosystem, and they can be just as important in our own habitat at home.
Many of us faced devastation in regards to our recent tornadoes, and now plenty of people are dubious of having looming pines near their homes. It is easy for us Tallahassee natives to take for granted our beloved canopy that we have had for the past 100 years, and seeing our old trees take a dramatic blow is hard to handle. You may be stuck in this limbo of thinking about replacing the canopy loss and giving back to our urban ecosystem, but also live in fear of mother nature destroying what you already have around you.
A wren’s nest at the base of an old snag at Native Nurseries. Photo by Rosey Melucci
There are wonderful native species options for filling the now odd looking hole in the sky; some of mine and my colleagues favorite wind resistant canopy trees are winged elm, swamp chestnut oak, shumard oak, red maple, bald cypress, basswood, and blackgum tupelo. Always remember when you are planting a tree, you are planting for future generations. It will provide cooling shade and wildlife benefits before it will reach a size to threaten your home. If you’re looking for some convincing on replanting a pine, I highly suggest reading Donna Legare’s article from 2022, The Importance of Pines In Our Urban Forest.
Replacing the canopy may not appeal to you due to fear and mistrust, so there are also fantastic native understory species that usually never exceed 30 feet tall to somewhat fill the void like fringe tree, flatwoods plum, silverbell, and chalk maple. If you are hesitant to replant anything and are making the decision to take trees away to prevent potential damage, I would like to encourage “topping” the trees that make you uneasy, instead of completely taking them out. This practice, sometimes called topping or lopping a tree, is when the entire crown of a mature tree is removed, leaving the trunk standing as tall as you wish. A good snag can be any size naturally, but in the landscape an eight to twenty foot range is the safest. Always be aware of any unnecessary risks to targets of value such as people, parked cars, and houses that the snag could damage if it fails structurally. It is advisable to first consult with a certified arborist who has experience with wildlife snags.
Dead trees, or snags, mingled with living specimens that are standing around Native Nurseries property. O
Native pine trees make the ideal snag, for they do not sucker when topped. Hardwoods like sweetgum for example, make just as nice of a snag in the long run, but require a little extra maintenance at first, for they will start to send suckers through the top and roots and need to be trimmed back. Birds like woodpeckers, owls, bluebirds, titmice, wrens, nuthatches, and chickadees are all cavity nesting birds, relying on cavities in snags and living trees to house their young. But they are not the only ones using snags for homes; squirrels, opossums, and racoons also use snags as habitat. When the snag eventually falls and becomes a log, there are even more critters that utilize the “dead” tree. Snails, worms, grubs, fungi, beetles, and spiders all use the log, and even more so the snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, mammals, and birds that feed on these forest floor dwellers.
Snags and stumps also make excellent growing platforms for some of our favorite native climbing species. At Native Nurseries, there is a snag by our back pond that is covered in native crossvine, and it is a sweet surprise in spring when you notice a flower has fallen to the ground, only to look up and see an abundance of salmon colored blooms forming a beautiful crown atop the snag– a lovely pit stop for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. If you’ve got a snag of decent stature and plenty of sun, almost any of our native vines would perform well, such as passionvine, honeysuckle, yellow jessamine, crossvine, and pipevine. Making a snag out of that tree you were once frightened of and planting a native vine at the base can give you peace of mind, and a peaceful feature of your landscape.
Female pileated woodpecker feeds her young in the cavity she excavated in a snag. Photo by Tara Tanaka
When addressing a dead or dying tree, or a tree that makes you nervous to be under, instead of jumping to removal and eradication to soothe your woes, think about the life that still lies within the tree, and the life that it could have. You may find that the dead tree's second life is even more joyous than the first.