CLEANING UP MESS: CAN THOSE WIND-DAMAGED TREES BE SAVED?

The winds that blew across Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois Monday left hundreds of trees mangled and broken.

Some can be saved, but others should be cut down to make way for new, healthy trees, said Joe Garvey, a forester with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The decision ultimately depends on each individual tree and property owner, he said. But he offered some general guidelines.

Remove the tree if

-- one-half or more of the tree is gone.

-- the damaged tree shows any signs of rot or decay.

-- the tree has been improperly pruned, topped or coat-racked over the years.

-- the tree has twisted fibers.

Property owners who hope to save a tree can follow these pruning tips to give the tree it's best chance for survival, Garvey said.

When pruning damaged limbs, remove the damage as close as possible to the nearest healthy limb. Cut the limb at an angle. "You don't want to leave the stub," he said. "By taking it back to the nearest limb, you allow the tree's natural defense methods to take over. It will heal quicker."

Don't paint the cuts, except for a cosmetic reason.

Don't leave a flat top on the tree. Cut the top at approximately the same angle as tree branches grow.

"I guess it depends how much you want the tree, but sometimes you might be better off to start again," Garvey said.

When choosing a tree to be planted, he recommended doing some research first.

"Often the utility company gets blamed when a tree falls into a power line. But usually it's the wrong tree in the wrong place."

The Conservation Department has several publications that list what type of trees are best for different locations.