The Forestry Forum

I'm looking for information on how to treat trees that were rubbed against during logging activities.  Is there a paint that can be applied to prevent rotting or speed the healing process?

There is not much to do. Paints and sealers prevent the tree from healing. Like putting wax or paint on a cut on your skin. The tree will have to heal around the sealer so it does not help much. I would recommend cutting any loose bark away, then leaving it. The trees will heal (usually), scared but heal.

Ditto! to what Woodtroll said. Paints and sealers do not really help or speed up the healing process. A "black latex" based paint may be used to cover the recently scared shinny wood, but it serves primarily as an aesthetic application to cover the shinny wood.

Hopefully, you only have a few of such "rub trees".

Some species like sugar maple seal off better than others like fir and ash, and none of them do well if they are really scraped up.  You might want to get somebody on site to help you assess which trees will flourish and which should be taken before you lose value.

The damage is on just a few trees and not severe so I think I will clean up the wound and monitor as advised.  Thank you to all for the information.

If it's a few scattered trees I would also assess whether they should stand to benefit the stand over all. If there is no benefit I would cut them, but then you could also figure out if they might make future wildlife trees. Wildlife is not always considered or a priority, and to some their priority is overall stand health. I can sell timber, but I can't sell porcupine meat. ;)