SAve, BEautify and Love Your Trees: Tree CAre Tips

Weeds come in all shapes and sides, especially in Australia, and while a graceful, towering pine tree may not look like an unwelcome addition to the local wildlife, they certainly can be. The radiata pine (Pinus radiata), also known as the Monterey pine, is a useful lumber tree grown extensively in plantations across Australia, but stray trees and seedlings that start growing on your land can cause a wealth of problems. 

Why should I have radiata pines removed from my land? 

If you have invasive radiata pines growing on your land you may be tempted to keep them around as firewood or shade trees. However, these tenacious trees possess a number of properties that can make them far more trouble than they are worth:

• Leaf litter: While radiata pines are evergreen, they shed their needle-like leaves throughout the year, forming a dense mat of dead leaves beneath trees that starves young plants of light and nutrients. This layer of litter also makes the soil more acidic as it decomposes, potentially killing adult plants and crops unsuited to the new soil conditions.
• Seed dispersal: Radiata pine seeds are protected by winged, cone-like sheathes, which are detached from the parent tree and can be carried considerable distances. They are also eaten by cockatoos, and the tough seeds can survive passage through a bird's digestive system and take root miles away. Combined with the relatively fast growth of radiata pines, single trees or isolated stands can quickly turn into widespread infestations.
• Strong roots: The root systems of radiata pines are strong and efficient, drawing away groundwater from other plants and crops in the area. The roots are also strong enough to penetrate underground pipes and structures.
• Adaptability: Radiata pines are also surprisingly adaptable to dry, poor soil conditions, and can be found growing in practically any soil type. They are also tolerant of high soil salinity and salt spray.

How should I get rid of them?

Radiata pines are tough trees and removing a well-established infestation can take some doing. However, there are several effective ways to go about it:

• Uprooting: Smaller saplings and shrubs can be uprooted by hand, or using small-scale excavation equipment. Removing the roots as thoroughly as possible will lessen the chances of trees growing back, but be careful not to disturb valuable plants nearby.
• Felling: Adult trees can grow to considerable sizes, and should not be taken on by anything less than a fully-qualified tree removal company. Felling a pine is a very effective way to kill it, but can be expensive and time-consuming, and may not be viable option in enclosed or sensitive spaces. Stumps that threaten to regrow can be uprooted, ground or treated with herbicides.
• Chemical control: Glyphosphate-based herbicides are very effective at killing radiata pines, and can be painted directly onto the stumps of felled trees to prevent regrowth. Alternatively, they can be applied through holes drilled in the bark of still-standing trees. Take exceptional care when using these herbicides, as accidents and spills can cause extensive ecological damage and poison groundwater -- consider bringing in tree removal experts to apply the herbicides, or taking a course in safe herbicide usage.