I is for Increment Borer

An increment borer is like a doctor prescribed blood test when it comes to evaluating a tree’s and by extension a forest’s health.  The increment borer is a hollow steel tube with external cutting teeth that when drilled into a tree can be used to extract a core that reveals the mystery of how the tree grew and what happened along the way.   Growth “rings” can be counted for age and measured in width to determine growth.  Historic wind storms show up as “shake” where the parts of the trunk were physically shaken apart and, if a conifer, filled up with pitch.  Fire damage and animal damage can look the same way.  Even disease expresses itself, and in the case of Swiss Needle Cast in Douglas-fir trees an increase in the ratio of spring and summer wood is present.

Beware the person who comes to look at a forest with just tools to determine a trees volume.  What you want is someone who can help you determine if the tree is doing well and give you options about managing your forest, and the increment borer is the tool you want to see them bring.