A tree near my stream looks like it will fall soon. Should I cut it down so it won’t damage the streambank?
If the tree might damage your home or other structures when it falls, it is best to have a qualified professional cut the tree. Otherwise, it is best to let it fall. Dead and fallen trees, when they fall into streams, are known as large woody debris. It was once thought that large woody debris was bad for streams and salmon. Today, we know that woody debris provides important salmon habitat, sediment and nutrient retention, and stability to streams. The long term benefits of large woody debris along the length of a stream far outweigh the small amounts of local erosion caused when a tree first falls. If you have a hazard tree cut, consider leaving the log on the ground near the stream. Fallen trees build good soils and provide habitat for beneficial insects, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and birds. It also provides a surface for seedlings to establish. These nurse-logs help conifer seedlings survive and compete with shrubs and hardwoods. Since there are regulatory restrictions on
