Eyesores in the forest

[John Fricke]

My son and I played hookie from work today and took a drive up to the National forest to do some mushroom hunting. (notice I didn't say mushroom finding) I was devastated at the large amount of eyesores I saw throughout the forest (pics posted) I think as conscientious lovers of all things wood, we should start a campaign to rid our forests of these atrocities. Staying with the current green movement we would obviously recycle in the best manner possible.

[Chris Padilla]

I found this one at a campsite I visited in the Sierras in Yosemite. I'm still trying to figure out how to remove it and get it out with killing myself or ending up in jail....

[Allan Froehlich]

What are those? Rocks?

If it is actually part of the tree, I wonder what the grain looks like.

[glenn bradley]

What are those? Rocks?

I'm thinkin' . .. .burls.

[mike holden]

Chris, that obviously the alpha male tree of the forest! (grinnnnn!)

If you remove those, where will the little trees come from?

Mike (tongue firmly in cheek and prodding in a most unmannerly way)

[Rob Cunningham]

Here's another "eyesore" we found when visiting Yosemite a couple years ago. I really wanted to help clean up the park and bring it home with me. Would have been tough to get on the plane though.

[John Schreiber]

I see bumps like that on trees sometimes when it might be possible to get access to it legally. Is there always a burl inside? Does it kill the tree if you take it off?

[Chris Padilla]

John,

That bump IS the burl so, "yes", to your question...there is a burl inside a burl I guess.