I’ve got some timberland in S Arkansas that about 6 years ago I saw the first tallow sapling. I took a phone snap to identify it but didn’t follow up with research. Earlier this year, i started seeing them popping up all around and about 5 miles away. This got me amore interested, so after a little reading, I went back to where I spotted that first 2” DBH young tree. Not only was it covered with many thousand flowers, underneath it were hundreds of seedlings. Then after searching on around I started finding hundreds more on a low ridge between sloughs, on about 10 acres.
I was alarmed, but determined to stop the spread. Now after 5-6 weekends, I’ve gone over at daybreak until noon, with machete, chainsaw and herbicide sprayer to do battle.
This is very hard work for my 76 years old body. I come back totally soaked in sweat. For the first month, I think “I’ve got this” but now have finally come to the conclusion that it’s bigger than me alone. At the end of each day I scout a little further out, then find I’ve got to do it again next weekend.
I’m wondering if there are ANY foresters or biologist out there leading the way to stop this invasion, or is the resolve to just roll over and play dead?!!!
Over the last, I don’t know how many years, when Ive gone out into this forest, I feel SO LUCKY to have such a rich habitat to hunt, fish and just explore over my lifetime. Now it seems obvious to me that it’s going to end.
Over the last month I’ve probably cut over 2000 of these trees, and have not seen a single bug-eaten leaf. If none of our indigenous insects can eat its toxic leaves, then there is nothing to feed the insect eating birds.
Folks, this is not looking good. I’d like to know if there are any plans, maps etc. and others doing battle?
Lastly, if you are not aware of this species, Google it now so you can recognize it, and if you spot one, cut and spray it right NOW. Don’t wait, think I’ll get back later. It’s too easy to forget, and this tree can start producing seeds at 3 years, then after about 6 can produce 100,000 per year, and it’s man third year offspring will start producing their seeds. They can out compete ALL of our indigenous species, so if a way isn’t found to win this battle, the native trees that make the forest canopy now, will be the last.