Many homeowners with yards have trees and want to keep them healthy, growing, and beautiful. It’s not just for aesthetics, but to also provide quality shade, a boost of oxygen, and, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, provide a cooler and greener environment for you and your neighbors. One of the things many tree owners know is that a layer of mulch can help the tree stay healthy. However, experts are saying that a recent trend is providing too much of a good thing.
More and more landscaping experts are seeing “mulch volcanoes” piled up around the base of tree trunks in yards, and it’s not as helpful as a person might think. While placing mulch around trees is healthy and recommended to help retain moisture, shy away weeds, and protect the roots from extreme heat, piling mulch high and too close to the trunk can actually hurt it—or even kill it.
@mono_wai just say no, to tree volcanoes!@Adam 🏞️ #wildlife #fypシ #foryou #conservation #outdoorlife #naturebasedsolutions #Nature #landscape
The issue, according to experts, is that piling the mulch too close to the tree’s base will attract the roots closer to the trunk rather than flaring out into the ground to find nutrients, as the mulch will likely be the closest, most nutrient-rich source. This can cause the tree to essentially strangle itself, a process known as “girdling.” On top of that, having too much mulch against the trunk of the tree can rot the bark, compromising the tree’s vascular system and inviting pests that thrive in that rotting moisture.
This isn’t just a problem for the tree, but for homeowners’ wallets. Not only are people spending too much money on more mulch than they need, they end up spending more on water since the mountain of mulch could absorb most of it before it reaches the tree itself. All of that money spent would lead to further expense because, if the tree dies, they would have to pay to get the now-dead tree removed and replaced. Essentially, the homeowner isn’t just literally killing their tree with good intentions and kindness, but putting themselves at a great financial risk in environmental losses.
@theplanttechie What else do you want to know about landscape or fruit trees! 🍎 🌳 Let’s talk about mulching—because doing it wrong can hurt your trees more than help. ❌ Volcano mulch—piling mulch against the trunk—can trap moisture, invite pests,create girdling roots and cause rot. ✅ Donut mulch—a ring around the tree with space at the base—keeps roots happy and healthy! It funnels water, keeps feeder roots covered and gives the root flare room to breathe. Here’s how to do it right: 🌳 Mulch to the drip line for maximum root coverage. 🚫 Keep it away from the trunk to prevent rot and pests. 📏 Keep it 2–3 inches deep—too much can suffocate roots. 🤷Post your mulch madness stories in the comments below 👇. #treecare #gardeningtips #mulching #fruitgrowers #soilhealth #backyardorchard #organicgardening #permaculture #gardeninghacks
Landscapers recommend surrounding your tree with only two-to-three inches of mulch, and to keep it shallow so the tree gets the benefits of the mulch without the chance of rot. It’s recommended to “think donut, not volcano” in terms of mulch distribution so that the roots are encouraged to venture outward rather than clog up near the tree’s trunk to seek the mulch. As a side tip, a person can save money by buying less bags of mulch and using grass clippings, plants already growing in your yard, and compost as effective mulch rather than spending more at the garden center.
Whether it’s to create a beautiful yard for you and your family to enjoy or to contribute to environmental causes, it’s good to know how to best take care of your trees and vegetation. Like most things, trees can become great and majestic when they’re given plenty of time, care, and space to grow, and not accidentally smothered by good intentions.
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President Donald J. Trump and photo of a forest.
Public united and adamantly opposes Trump’s plan to roll back the Roadless Rule
There doesn't seem to be much agreement happening in the U.S. right now. Differing moral belief systems, economic disparity, and political divide have made a country with so many positives sometimes feel a little lost. Everyone desperately seeks a niche, a connection, or a strong sense of community to which they can feel a "part of," rather than just "apart."
But there seems to be one thing that the country strongly unites over, and that's the "Roadless Rule." With the Trump Administration attempting to roll back conservation policies that protect U.S. National Forests, Americans are saying in harmony an emphatic "No." A nonpartisan conservation and advocacy organization, the Center for Western Priorities, reviewed a comment analysis on the subject. After receiving 223,862 submissions, a staggering 99 percent are opposed to the president's plan of repeal.
What is the 'Roadless Rule' policy implemented in 2001?
The Roadless Rule has a direct impact on nearly 60 million acres of national forests and grasslands. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the rule prohibits road construction and timber harvests. Enacted in 2001, it is a conservation rule that protects some of the least developed portions of our forests. It's considered to be one of the most important conservation wins in U.S. history.
America's national forests and grasslands are diverse ecosystems, timeless landscapes, and living treasures. They sustain the country with clean water and the wood products necessary to build our communities. The National Parks protected under their umbrella offer incredible recreational retreats and outdoor adventure.
Why does the administration want to roll it back?
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins told the Department of Agriculture in a 2025 press release, “We are one step closer to common sense management of our national forest lands. Today marks a critical step forward in President Trump’s commitment to restoring local decision-making to federal land managers to empower them to do what’s necessary to protect America’s forests and communities from devastating destruction from fires." Rollins continued, “This administration is dedicated to removing burdensome, outdated, one-size-fits-all regulations that not only put people and livelihoods at risk but also stifle economic growth in rural America. It is vital that we properly manage our federal lands to create healthy, resilient, and productive forests for generations to come. We look forward to hearing directly from the people and communities we serve as we work together to implement productive and commonsense policy for forest land management.”
Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz explained the Roadless Rule frustrated land management and acts as a challenging barrier to action. It prohibits road construction needed to navigate wildfire suppression and properly maintain the forest. Schultz said, “The forests we know today are not the same as the forests of 2001. They are dangerously overstocked and increasingly threatened by drought, mortality, insect-borne disease, and wildfire. It’s time to return land management decisions where they belong – with local Forest Service experts who best understand their forests and communities."
Why are people adamantly opposed to the proposed rollback?
A 2025 article in Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, expressed its concern over the protection of national forests covering 36 states and Puerto Rico. A rescinded rule allows increased logging, extractive development, and oil and gas drilling in previously undisturbed backcountry. Here is what some community leaders had to say about it:
President Gloria Burns, Ketchikan Indian Community, said, "You cannot separate us from the land. We depend on Congress to update the outdated and predatory, antiquated laws that allow other countries and outside sources to extract our resource wealth. This is an attack on Tribes and our people who depend on the land to eat. The federal government must act and provide us the safeguards we need or leave our home roadless. We are not willing to risk the destruction of our homelands when no effort has been made to ensure our future is the one our ancestors envisioned for us. Without our lungs (the Tongass) we cannot breathe life into our future generations.”
Linda Behnken, executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, stated, "Roadbuilding damaged salmon streams in the past — with 240 miles of salmon habitat still blocked by failed road culverts. The Roadless Rule protects our fishing economy and more than 10,000 jobs provided by commercial fishing in Southeast Alaska.”
The Sierra Club's Forest Campaign Manager Alex Craven seemed quite upset, saying, "The Forest Service followed sound science, economic common sense, and overwhelming public support when they adopted such an important and visionary policy more than 20 years ago. Donald Trump is making it crystal clear he is willing to pollute our clean air and drinking water, destroy prized habitat for species, and even increase the risk of devastating wildfires, if it means padding the bottom lines of timber and mining companies.”
The 2025 recession proposal would apply to nearly 45 million acres of the national forests. With so many people writing in opposition to the consensus, the public has determined they don't want it to happen.
Tongass National Forest is at the center of the Trump administration's intention to roll back the 2001 Roadless Rule. You can watch an Alaska Nature Documentary about the wild salmon of Tongass National Forrest here:
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The simple truth is we elect our public officials to make decisions. The hope is they do this for all of our well-being, although often it seems they do not. Even though we don't have much power to control what government officials do, voicing our opinions strongly enough often forces them to alter their present course of action. With a unanimous public voice saying, "No!" maybe this time they will course correct as the public wishes.