Marking of trees

Some people like to mark the living trees with their signatures or they like to do it for confirm their everlasting love to somebody.

Is it harmless for the tree?

No.

For tree it is quite same situation as for human whose skin is broken.
Such wounds are dangerous for the tree - as it is open wound it gives a freeway for different microscopical organisms.

It is common view that tree wounds heal - but it is not exactly so - the wounds will not heal - they will covered by the growing cambium cells. That means, even if we can see that tree bark looking healthy - it might not be healthy under the bark.
In Estonia the cambium cells grow and cover the wound usually (depends species and conditions) with speed around 2-5mm per year.
So - in conclusion we can say that if we make some 2-3cm wound to the tree bark, then it takes least 2 years to cover that wound by the cambium cells.
In Estonia - we can be quit shore that some fungal disease will start growing.

It is so easy to make some damage to the environment - so - please do not mark trees as seen below.

Source: Urbandendro
http://ravelreiljan.blogspot.com/

Marked tree. Photo: Ravel Reiljan

Marked tree. Photo: Ravel Reiljan

Marked tree. Photo: Ravel Reiljan

Marked tree. Photo: Ravel Reiljan