Walking through wooded or natural areas, you might encounter dead trees, also known as snags or dead wood. Sometimes, these dead trees seem out of place, their grey color standing out from the greenery. Forest entomologist Dr. Jiri Hulcr and his team at the University of Florida would assure you that these trees are right where they belong—and they belong in your yards and gardens, too. Incorporating dead wood into our community landscapes is one way residents can support a diverse and healthy urban environment.
We talked to Dr. Hulcr and his project team, Benjamin Schwartz and Katy Dietz, to learn more about the dead wood movement and their ongoing work with the NeighborWood Watch program and newly launched website. Ben Schwartz explains, “Dead trees don’t provide shade or oxygen, but they do provide biodiversity and recycle nutrients.” Removing dead trees interrupts natural processes. The NeighborWood Watch program is an exploration of how the public engages with dead wood and how those in educative roles communicate about dead wood conservation.
Aren’t dead trees dangerous? Not necessarily.
Safety is a key priority when managing your dead tree or snag. Determining risk can allow you to keep parts of your dead tree for habitat while mitigating potential risks and maximizing a continued benefit from the dead tree—habitat creation. “Not just dead trees, but trees that are half-dead are also highly beneficial. This becomes important in places like Florida, where we do want to take precautions for hurricane damage… rather than removing [trees] completely, we could take just the upper part. That creates a tall snag that is [safer], it lets more light below, and it also starts developing pockets of dead wood with lots of microhabitats.” Dr. Hulcr described that this process may not be suitable for all tree species.
Balancing safety and ecological benefits
To determine the area of risk for your snag, use the tree as a center point. From the center point, you may measure out a circle with a radius that is 1.5 times the tree height (for an example see Schwartz et al., 2025). The additional space left around the tree accounts for the potential area where the dead tree may fall and where wood may scatter on impact. If the tree is not in a risky area, it may be left in place to decay naturally and allow nutrients to return to the soil.
However, if the tree poses a risk to people or structures, you may consider a few options. First, if possible, move potential targets out of the strike area. You can also reduce risk by cutting the tree to a safer height, creating a smaller wildlife pole. Leaving a stump still adds ecological value to your landscape. If removal is necessary, consider leaving the wood on site as a log or wood pile. You can add dead wood habitat to landscapes of all sizes. “Some people don’t have the space…that’s why we also advocate for smaller elements like brush or stumps…even a little pile of logs can completely change the dynamic of a small yard”, said Ben Schwartz. Arborists may also help with canopy management and risk mitigation by considering aspects like tree condition, location, and the future intention for the location.
The NeighborWood Watch Project – what can you do to participate?
We asked what inspired this team to research dead wood and how people might engage with this resource. Dr. Hulcr was inspired by natural scientist E.O. Wilson’s conceptualization of half-earth, the Homegrown National Park project by Doug Tallamy at the University of Delaware, and experiences with adding more biodiversity to his own yard and neighborhood. “Native plants and dead wood are a big part of the process. If I can do it, my neighbors can do it, too. We all can do it and live in a rewarding place full of color, song, and movement”, says Dr. Hulcr. Dead wood is already more commonplace than we might think. Dr. Hulcr explains, “I visited Dresden, Germany, and was inspired by seeing snags, downed trees, and brush piles as intentional parts of municipal playgrounds. In the EU, protecting dead wood is becoming part of environmental legislation and is normal in people’s living spaces. In Gainesville, we are just on the cusp of the change, it is already happening in the community. Lots of people already have – and love – their snags!”
Finally, Katy Dietz reminds us that engaging with the dead wood movement can benefit people too. “This is a very easy way to contribute to conservation with minimal action and there are many ways to do it depending on your property size. I have a very small house (< 1000 sqft) downtown, and I have a snag and a stump in my backyard where I can observe fungi growing, lizards running around, etc. Tree removal is also very expensive and not having the dead wood removed can save the homeowner money.”
To learn more about the contributions of dead wood to habitat, see Woodpecker Poles and Habitat Wood in Your Yard.
To learn more about dead wood and the dead wood movement and participate in a survey, visit the NeighborWood Watch website: www.neighborwoodwatch.org
References:
Schwartz, B., Hulcr, J., Koeser, A., & Rosenthal, S. (2025). Woodpecker Poles and Habitat Wood in Your Yard: FOR411/FR482, 1/2025. EDIS, 2025(1).
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