What Is Deadwooding And When Does A Tree Need It?

Deadwooding is one of the most commonly performed tree surgery operations, yet many property owners have little idea what it actually involves.

Here is a clear explanation of what deadwooding is, why it is carried out and how to tell whether your tree would benefit from it.

What Is Deadwooding?

Deadwooding is the selective removal of dead, dying or structurally unsound branches from a tree's canopy.

Unlike crown reduction or crown thinning (which involve the removal of live wood to manage the size or density of the tree), deadwooding focuses specifically on branches that have died or that pose a risk of failure due to structural weakness, disease or decay.

The process is carried out by a qualified tree surgeon working within the canopy, identifying and removing branches that meet the criteria for removal and making clean cuts at the appropriate position to promote the tree's natural compartmentalisation response and minimise the risk of further decay entering the tree through the wound.

Why Does Dead Wood Develop In Trees?

Dead wood is a natural and inevitable part of a tree's lifecycle. As trees mature, branches that are no longer receiving sufficient light or resources from the tree's vascular system will die back naturally.

Disease, fungal infection, pest damage, physical injury and environmental stress can all accelerate this process, causing branches to die back more rapidly or extensively than would otherwise be expected.

The presence of some dead wood in a tree is entirely normal and, from an ecological perspective, genuinely valuable.

Dead wood provides habitat for a wide range of insects, fungi and birds, and veteran trees with significant quantities of dead wood are often among the most ecologically important specimens in any landscape.

When Does Dead Wood Become A Problem?

Whilst dead wood is a natural feature of mature trees, it becomes a concern when it poses a risk to people or property.

Dead branches lose the flexibility of living wood and become increasingly brittle over time, making them more susceptible to failure in high winds or under the weight of snow and ice.

A dead branch falling from height can cause serious injury or significant property damage, and the risk of failure increases as the branch deteriorates further.

Location Is The Key Factor

The primary consideration in assessing whether dead wood needs to be removed is its location relative to people and property.

Dead wood in a tree growing in an isolated position where failure would affect no one and nothing presents a very different level of risk from the same dead wood in a tree overhanging a footpath, a car park or a garden.

A qualified tree surgeon will assess the size, condition and position of dead branches alongside the targets beneath the tree to determine the level of risk and the appropriate course of action.

Not all dead wood needs to be removed, and a blanket approach of removing all dead wood from every tree is neither necessary nor ecologically desirable.

Size & Condition Of The Dead Wood

The size and state of deterioration of the dead wood is also an important factor. Small, fine dead twigs in the outer canopy present a very different level of risk from large, heavy dead branches attached to the main structure of the tree.

Similarly, dead wood that is still structurally sound is considerably less likely to fail than wood that has become soft, hollow or is showing signs of fungal decay at the point of attachment.

How Often Should Deadwooding Be Carried Out?

There is no fixed schedule for deadwooding, as the rate at which dead wood develops varies between species, individual trees and growing environments.

For trees in locations where failure could affect people or property, a periodic inspection by a qualified tree surgeon, typically every two to three years, will identify any dead wood that has developed and allow a judgement to be made about whether removal is warranted.

Following significant weather events such as storms, it is also worth arranging an inspection of any trees close to buildings or footpaths, as high winds can cause previously sound branches to fail or develop structural weaknesses that increase the risk of subsequent failure.