Leaving Your Mark in the Bark? It Causes More Harm Than You Think

Hold your knives love-birds, the Lorax will thank you.

Yes, we know the love between you and your sweetheart is eternal. And EVERY cheesy movie reference would say to carve your initials into a tree. But let's take a second to think about what you're doing.

Trust me... I'm not your average tree hugger.

You Cut Me Deep Shrek... You Cut Me Deep

You might think you're carving into the "useless bark", but what does it actually do for a tree?

Bark serves as the tree's skin, a layer some would say, protecting all that's inside. Cutting into a tree is like getting a cut on your arm... except the tree can't simply put a band-aid on and have it's mom say "everything's gonna be all right".

Like your cut, that carving makes a tree vulnerable to fungal and bacterial diseases, along with insects and other long-term damaging effects. This could hurt the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients, eventually leading to it's death.

Take a Picture, It'll Last Longer

The NYS DEC has a better alternative to branding your initials onto a tree. Just take a picture!

It's the best way to leave to trace and share your experience with a bigger audience. The trees might not have social media, but at least your grandma in Brookfield has a better chance of seeing your picture, than stumbling upon your awful handwriting on a tree.