A car smashed into a very large corkscrew willow tree on my property. Tree is at least 40 years old. See here for reference, the tree in question is in the second picture.
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ost+got+smoked
The tree has a significant crack at the base, at most about two inches thick, roughly two feet high but possibly longer if it continues underground:
Attachment 294639
My insurer sent a certified Arborist to inspect and report, and they say the crack "will cause rot and decay to the tree, leading to subsequent failure in the future."
I assuming the arborist works for the same company that would get the job to take down the tree but could be mistaken.
I really don't want to just chop this tree down. 6 years ago we had to take down three poplars, last summer we lost our Chinese Elm, and this is the last big tree we have. It survived two massive ice storms an the last ten years, the first reduced the entire thing down to about 6 - 8 feet high (from roughly 60 feet). Both times we were told (one guy was an arborist, the other I don't think was really an expert) that the tree wouldn't make it and here it is. Also without sounding dramatic I credit my being here to it, if this tree wasn't there, exactly in that spot, that night would have much much different.
1 - Am I crazy to want to keep it up and monitor it a couple years?
2 - can I assume I'll have visual indicators when the tree is dying / weakening ei leaves die, limbs start drying out etc, as opposed to a sudden catastrophic break?
3 - is there anything I can do to help mitigate the damage ei fill the crack with something to slow down rot?
Any help is greatly appreciated.