What is killing the pine trees

[GeoFish]

Out in western KY at LBL deer scouting some public. Hunted here last year and the trees looked OK. This year I have seen over 50 dead pine trees. Mostly the smaller ones but a few medium and big ones. They are black at the bottom like they were burned. I asked the people at the welcome station and was told no one knows. Typical federal employees.
Anyone know what is going on?

 

[NMSbowhunter]

A controlled burn can sometimes kill smaller trees is the fire stays long enough and they are not big enough to cope with the heat. I usually doesn't kill larger trees since the bark is usually thick enough to protect them from the heat and usually the first burns through pretty fast so they don't get too hot.

 

[BTaylor]

Hero's, my hero's are killing the freakin pine trees.

 

[HuumanCreed]

I know nothing about forestry. Recently wife told me she need a bunch of the tree in our back woods cut down. Apparently our property is infested with 'tree of heaven' and they are the bully of the woods. They release toxin that kills other tree in the area. Plus those bugs....

 

[Slabzilla73]

In the midwest I believe its caused by Pine wilt. Something about parasitic nematodes

 

[Slabzilla73]

Here in Michigan our jack pines are being killed by an outbreak of Budworm

 

[beej32]

I know nothing about forestry. Recently wife told me she need a bunch of the tree in our back woods cut down. Apparently our property is infested with 'tree of heaven' and they are the bully of the woods. They release toxin that kills other tree in the area. Plus those bugs....

Be mindful of how you approach those- they say cutting them will make the problem worse and you need to hack and squirt or basal spray to kill them first.

 

[GCTerpfan]

Be mindful of how you approach those- they say cutting them will make the problem worse and you need to hack and squirt or basal spray to kill them first.

Yes, if you start cutting tree of heaven @HuumanCreed you will have a much worse problem. The one you cut will quickly be replaced with twenty sprouting from its roots. I’d reach out to a forester for some advice, which will likely be along the lines of what @beej32 suggested above.

 

[BTaylor]

You should be able to fix the problem with a hack and squirt approach. Below is the mix we use.

 

[GeoFish]

A controlled burn can sometimes kill smaller trees is the fire stays long enough and they are not big enough to cope with the heat. I usually doesn't kill larger trees since the bark is usually thick enough to protect them from the heat and usually the first burns through pretty fast so they don't get too hot.

You nailed it. I got a call back from a biologist. It was a controlled burn.