04 Nov Something New

Before becoming a Resource Assistant at the Mark Twain National Forest I never set foot in a campground or trail at all. However, since being here and working in the forest, I’ve learned so much! Hazard Trees and how to spot and evaluate them for felling is one of these new subjects. A hazard tree is a tree that has a structural defect that makes it likely to fail in whole or in part. Falling trees are an ever-present hazard when traveling or camping in the forest, yet too often we are unaware of the risks associated with defective trees. Trees are defective from age, fire, and disease. While preparing for the winter, my team and I went through our recreation sites and evaluated our trees. It was an awesome experience! But be warned, your neck will surely be sore for a while!