Algonquin Adventures / the hell is this?

**Posted by EGB** 10/28/2025 1:45 pm

Saw at least a dozen birch trees with carefully removed patches of bark girdling the trunks. All were along the logging road that goes from Shall to Shirley and a bunch along those portages as well.

Last edited by EGB (10/28/2025 4:11 pm)

**Posted by Guyute** 10/28/2025 2:24 pm

I'm not advocating mistreating our natural resources, but this is interesting. I'm also no tree expert!

It's hard to see from the pictures if any bark is left in the stripped areas that would regenerate, but given the precision of the peeled bark, I'm curious if it was sustainably 'harvested' by someone who knew what they were doing, not to harm the trees, and the bark was used for traditional/ethical purposes.

I'd assume that someone who didn't care would have gone hog wild, leaving the trees a total mess.

I hope that it's the former and that the trees are able to recover.

Last edited by Guyute (10/28/2025 2:26 pm)

**Posted by EGB** 10/28/2025 4:10 pm

Guyute wrote:
I'm not advocating mistreating our natural resources, but this is interesting. I'm also no tree expert!

It's hard to see from the pictures if any bark is left in the stripped areas that would regenerate, but given the precision of the peeled bark, I'm curious if it was sustainably 'harvested' by someone who knew what they were doing, not to harm the trees, and the bark was used for traditional/ethical purposes.

I'd assume that someone who didn't care would have gone hog wild, leaving the trees a total mess.

I hope that it's the former and that the trees are able to recover.

you might be right
https://sharinghorizons.com/gathering-birch-bark/