5 Ways to Use #FallenTrees, According to Arborists

Don't let a fallen tree go to waste.

By Michelle Mastro
Published on February 18, 2026

"A dead tree lying in the middle of your yard can detract from your home’s overall beauty. But before having it hauled away and disposed of, consider the many ways you can give it a second life. From turning leaves into garden mulch to repurposing the trunk into a beautiful garden path, using fallen trees in the garden is a sustainable practice that helps your green spaces thrive. Ahead, arborists share the genius ways they’ve used fallen trees to support plants and local wildlife.

[...]

"Consider allowing the tree to decompose naturally to support fungi and surrounding trees. 'Retaining a certain amount of dead wood within an environment can allow the surrounding trees to benefit,' Middleton says. Some fungi will take the easiest opportunity available to them, utilizing the dead tree rather than 'attacking' healthy, standing trees, he says.

"At the same time, dead wood is also incredibly valuable to #wildlife, supporting #biodiversity by providing shelter, nesting, and food sources for birds, insects, and small mammals. In fact, fallen trees are a favorite feeding spot of pileated #woodpeckers, who love the #CarpenterAnts often found there.

Read more:
https://www.marthastewart.com/ways-to-use-fallen-trees-11907559

#SolarPunkSunday #Trees #Deadwood #Mulch #Nature

Photo a Day 16: Fallen Beasts

Shop: https://mike-smale.pixels.com/featured/fallen-beasts-mike-smale.html

#Photography #Stump #Trees #Rot #Termites #CarpenterAnts #Abstract #Art #Artwork #GiftShop

@futurebird , this one reminded me of you: A NY carpenter ant going about their business, at the Cranberry Flats Conservancy, south of Saskatoon.

#ants #carpenterants #insects #yxe

🐜 Carpenter Ants Perform Life-Saving Amputations 🩺 A new study shows carpenter ants amputate injured legs of nestmates, the first evidence of non-human animals performing amputations on others to improve survival odds. 🔬🐜🦵 #CarpenterAnts #Amputations #AnimalBehavior #SurvivalSkills #NewStudy #SmithsonianMag

🔗https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/carpenter-ants-perform-life-saving-amputations-to-treat-leg-injuries-180984653/

Florida #CarpenterAnts (#CamponotusFloridanus) selectively treat the wounded limbs of their fellow ants. Depending on the location of the injury, the ants either lick the wounds to clean them or chew off the affected limb to keep #infection from spreading.

The treatment is surprisingly effective, with survival rates of around 90–95 percent for amputee ants.

Call the #ant doctor: #Amputation gives injured ants a leg up on #infections
https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/07/call-the-ant-doctor-amputation-gives-injured-ants-a-leg-up-on-infections/