Protecting Aspens for Years to Come

♻️ Carving into aspen trees might seem harmless, but it wounds the tree and makes it vulnerable to disease, pests, and early death. Aspens have thin, living bark that’s crucial to their survival, and harming one tree can kill an entire grove since they’re all connected. Carving your initials isn’t only unsightly, it’s harmful!

Aspen trees are some of the most susceptible trees on the planet. Aspen bark is not like the bark of a pine tree or Douglas fir or any other conifer. These white trunks don’t have that protective, rough shield. Maybe you’ve noticed even your fingernail can penetrate, easily breaking that green layer of chlorophyll, which is scrumptious to many creatures, including a slew of beetles, and also makes it susceptible to a multitude of bacteria and fungi.

Prior to carving your name into the aspen, PLEASE THINK TWICE. Not just carving your name, but climbing or touching in general. I've linked two helpful resources on why this is damaging.

The Human Effect on Quaking Aspen Trees

What You're Really Doing When You Carve into an Aspen