Got trees? Have a mess? Want a better forest? Learn about your land and forest health.
Forest Planning through the SJI Conservation District may be the answer!
A Forest Plan helps you the landowner meet your goals and a future landscape that you have in mind for your forested land.
Forest Plans help protect the natural resources and water quality of your property.
You don’t have to be a commercial operation to benefit! We work with all sizes of forestlands.
Our services are free and without obligation as we are a non-regulatory, non-enforcement subdivision of the State of Washington. We are funded by your tax dollars and Grants.
How do I get a Forest Plan?
Contact the SJI Conservation District and we will set up a site visit at your property with you and we will listen to you the landowner so we can find the best way to assist you reach your goal of a vital and improved forest!
Contact us and talk to a Natural Resources Planner.
(360) 378-6621 or info@sanjuanislandscd.org
Sapsuckers and Trees
Sapsuckers are a type of woodpecker. Many people encounter sapsucker damage in the forest or in their yard. Sapsucker damage is very easy to identify. The holes are 1/8 – 1/4 inch in diameter and are drilled in a pattern – lines or clusters. There are usually many holes close together.
Sapsucker damage is often mistaken for insect damage (e.g. bark beetles or other boring insects). Insect damage will typically have fewer, smaller holes, and the holes will be randomly distributed, not in patterns like sapsucker holes. Also, the presence of sapsucker damage does not mean the tree has insects. Unlike other woodpeckers, the sapsuckers are actually drilling for the tree sap, not for insects living in the tree.
So what should you do about sapsuckers? In most cases, the shallow damage will not be severe enough to cause serious problems with the affected tree(s). There are cases where a persistent sapsucker may indeed cause serious injury to the tree, or make the tree vulnerable to other problems. One control method that is often recommended is to wrap something like hardware cloth around the affected area. This may or may not be effective, though, and it may just shift the bird’s focus to a neighboring tree.
Sapsuckers, like all woodpeckers, are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so a permit would be required for lethal control (i.e. for extreme cases). For the most part, though, sapsucker damage is just part of living with nature, something to be endured as an occasional inconvenience. Just hope that they limit their activity and stick to your trees and not your house siding!
San Juan County Fire Danger: Check the Washington State Department of Natural Resources website- http://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/firedanger/BurnRisk.aspx