How to Girdle and Spray Trees for Forest Stand Improvement

Forest Stand Improvement involves removing non-native invasive trees or overabundant, low-value native trees, while selecting valuable wildlife and timber trees to remain, thus increasing sunlight reaching the forest floor to fuel forage and cover production. One of the quickest ways to kill trees selected for removal is to girdle them with a chainsaw and inject small amounts of herbicide. This video explains how to girdle and answers other questions about this technique.

For information on the herbicides we recommend and other aspects of Forest Stand Improvement, see our other videos in the Habitat Management playlist.

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[millieatr]

I like your method , ,,I think before i do my trees i'll practice on my neighbors trees first

[nathanlester]

Really good information covering the safety aspect as well as how to girdle and squirt.

[colleenwms]

Thank you for this great video! Where do you purchase the ingredients for the "Craig Harper Cocktail?" I have honeysuckle and Russian Olive bushes and a mulberry tree that need to go!

[thomasjohnson]

You should talk about the honeysuckle bush and how too best manage spice bush too

[ssdj]

Excellent video
I have to give this a try
Mixed R & W oaks in a section with lots of maple poplar and EWP scattered and no vegetation
Oh the ideas now!

[stevebrown]

Been trying to open up hard wood stand so sun will hit the ground, tried this and the trees are not dead sfter a few years . Did not use Craig Harper Cocktai but Glyphosate with no water . Some of the stuff in teh mix I can not find ? Like to find something that would kill tree fast ?

[Sandwichking-hikes]

Safety chaps are a must, I had tired arms and after cutting lowered chainsaw as chain slowing to stop, cut my thigh pant leg and surface cut my leg under. fortunately was minor but could have been bad

[slymer]

I tried hack and squirt on hickory and didn’t have a good kill. Will girdle and spray work better?

[stevey]

If I do this to my tree in my yard, after it dies, I'm afraid it would fall and cause damage or injury?

[specfever]

I didn't think that herbicide would be necessary. Girdling essentially is slitting the tree's throat. But hey, I'm not close to an expert in tree management.

[johneddy]

The past year or so I've seen tons of people recommending this method. Not one of them addresses the long term effect. Aren't we creating a forest full of widow makers with this method? How does this method not create dead trunks and branches and multiply our chances of something falling on us later in the woods?

[TheAcenightcreeper]

Youre telling me i dont want to fall on my chainsaw on purpose? Well i never knew, thanks for pointing that out…i planned on using my chainsaw to trim my nails, is that safe? I also was going to use my chainsaw to open my beer bottles and cut my vegetables and steak…what is your safety guidance on those activities?