How to Talk to Your Arborist About Creating a Wildlife Snag
- Morgan Laubach
- 23 hours ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
A snag is a dead or dying tree that's left standing to decompose naturally. And while our instinct might be to remove a dead tree right away, that tree may be entering one of the most ecologically valuable stages of its life.
Photos: LEFT - Amy Evanstead, Flikr. RIGHT - Kendra Hoffman.
Dead trees provide vital habitat for over 1,000 species of wildlife across the country.
Right here in the Mid-Atlantic, snags offer nesting cavities for woodpeckers, eastern bluebirds, chickadees, tufted titmice, nuthatches, Carolina wrens, and tree swallows. Eastern screech-owls and great horned owls nest in and on top of tall snags. Hawks, eagles, and vultures use bare branches as hunting perches.
Bats, including Pennsylvania's little brown bat and big brown bat, roost under loose bark and inside cavities. Even snakes use tree hollows as a safe, hidden place to shed their skin, and butterflies and moths tuck into bark crevices to hibernate or transform.
When the insects, mosses, lichens, and fungi that are drawn to dead wood arrive, the snag becomes a living buffet for all of these creatures. And when a snag eventually falls and becomes a log, a whole new ecosystem unfolds on the ground, supporting fireflies, salamanders, tree frogs, turtles, and the soil itself.
Removing dead material from a landscape can mean losing habitat for up to one-fifth of the animals in that ecosystem.
So before your next tree comes down, consider this: what if it stayed up?
Watch Kendra's Instagram video on leaving a snag for wildlife.
How to Talk to Your Arborist about Wildlife Snags
We pulled together this simple list of guidance gathered from our years of hands-on experience practicing EarthCare and interacting with arborists to create wildlife snags.
Before You Call: Know What to Ask For
The tree care industry makes the most money from removals, so some arborists may be inclined to recommend taking trees down that could safely remain as snags. This isn't always intentional, but it is a built-in bias worth being aware of. Think of it like getting a second opinion from a doctor. You can advocate for your trees by coming to the conversation prepared.
Here's how to approach:
⇾ Be upfront about your values. Let your arborist know that you want to keep and save as many trees as possible, and that you're interested in creating wildlife habitat. The good ones will appreciate this. As one local tree service owner put it: "Clients who ask this question are the ones I love working for."
⇾ Ask about stability. A skilled arborist can assess whether a dead tree's trunk is stable enough to remain standing safely. This is the most important starting point: which trees are truly a risk to your home and structures, and which ones can stay?
⇾ Request a partial limb removal, not a full take-down. When limbs do need to come off for safety, ask that they be cut at a downward angle. This keeps the cuts looking natural rather than like stubs, and prevents rainwater from collecting inside the wood, which causes it to rot faster.
⇾ Keep all the natural resources on site. Ask your arborist to leave woodchips from any branches they chip for free mulch. Limbs and logs that are too big to chip can be used as raised bed borders, seats around a fire circle, or simply left as ground-level habitat. Thicker trunks can be cut into pieces for firewood or other natural features.
⇾ Don't grind the stumps. Unless a stump is directly in the way of a building project, leave it. Stumps make wonderful natural features and continue to support wildlife and fungi as they slowly decompose. You can even put a bird house on top if you want.
⇾ Safety always comes first. Any dead tree or heavy limb that could fall on your home, a neighbor's home, or a structure should absolutely come down. But even then, consider relocating that wood to a safer area of your yard rather than hauling it away.
Graphic: Arboriculture International
A Few More Things to Keep in Mind
⇾ Aim for about three snags per acre if your property allows it.
⇾ Small clusters scattered across your landscape work well, providing both nesting and foraging sites while reducing competition among species.
⇾ Hardwood snags tend to make better nesting habitat, while softer wood is better for foraging. Both have tremendous value.
⇾ You can enhance a snag over time by encouraging native vines like Virginia creeper or trumpet vine to grow on it, adding food and shelter for even more wildlife.
⇾ Keep a reasonable distance between snags and your home to minimize any concern about termites. With that simple precaution, you and the snag can coexist beautifully.
💡 Pro Tip: You can even let visitors to your property know that your snag is intentional by adding Wildlife Habitat Snag signage, available through the Tree Care for Birds Committee.
Who You're Welcoming Home
When you choose to keep a snag in your landscape, you're creating a Place where Nature's full life cycle is honored.
You're providing:
✨ Nesting cavities for woodpeckers, bluebirds, screech-owls, and wrens
✨ Safe roosting habitat for bats, including species that are endangered and in desperate need of support due to white-nose syndrome
✨ Hunting perches for hawks and other raptors who help keep rodent populations in balance
✨ Shelter for butterflies and moths during their most vulnerable life stages
✨ A food web that starts with fungi and insects and radiates outward to support songbirds, reptiles, and mammals
A single little brown bat can eat over a million insects per year. Woodpeckers control forest pests that would otherwise require chemical treatment. The whole system works when we stop removing the habitat these creatures depend on and start working with the natural cycle of life and decay.
A dead or dying tree is an invitation to support even more life that shares your home. We hope you feel inspired to take the opportunity to connect even deeper with Nature in your Place!
→ Read More: Building Habitat for Wildlife: What's in it for us?
Central PA Arborist Recommendations
Looking for an arborist who will respect your conservation goals? Here are a few we've worked with and trust in the Central PA area:
Virginia Masland, Independent Arborist A former LadyBug team member with arborist credentials, now working independently. A great option for direct, personalized guidance.
A+J Tree Service - Ashley + Jeff Shuman are a local couple who have hands-on experience creating wildlife snags. They're the team behind a gorgeous snag project for one of our clients, ensuring the tree was safe near the home with no heavy limbs at risk of dropping.
Bartlett Tree Experts - bartlett.com Known for organic and natural approaches. "Their work is more organic and natural; they care for many old trees."
Branch Management Tree Service A company whose owner has said: "Clients who ask this question are the ones I love working for."
Goods Tree Company - goodstreecare.com One of the bigger companies in the area. They have a "good soil = better plants" philosophy and are receptive to ecological approaches.
💡 Pro Tip: Always collect multiple opinions and estimates before making decisions about your trees. And don't be afraid to share this guide with your arborist!
✨ Need help preparing for your arborist conversation?
We created a Wildlife Snag Guide for Land Stewards with a property assessment walkthrough, conversation prep sheet, and a quick reference page you can hand directly to your arborist. It's available in the EarthCare Library, along with 100+ other mixed-media resources to support you on your EarthCare journey. Join here and get instant access!
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