Short Vid: Harvesting Raw Cork

Just saw this a few minutes ago, thought many of us would be interested in how this is extracted. The vid is 5:25 long, and the guy kinda looks like Tom Cruise.
Enjoy!

[YOUTUBE]wn71DO-LmIk[/YOUTUBE]


From the YouTube description:
Extracting or harvesting cork is a job that has stood the test of time, in spite of all modern technologies. Here is an example of a hard working Italian in Sardinia, Italy who shows an exemplary skill at extracting cork from an Oak tree, using only an axe and his hands. This process is 100% environmentally friendly, since he succeeds in detaching the cork without touching the vital underlying bark which would result in a premature death to the tree.

This video was produced in the mountains of Linas, on the border between the territories of Fluminimaggiore and Gonnosfanadiga in Sardinia, Italy.

Actually, this can be very destructive and result in the death of the tree. The cambium layer is easily penetrated and the protective bark layer removed leaving the tree wide open to invasive pests and organisms.

It did feel a little 'willy-nilly' to have a go at the tree with an axe. I found it interesting (as long as it is true) that cork is most often harvested this way. I felt like a mechanical method wouldn't take into account the unique features of the tree.

Also, he seemed mostly interested in the bottom half... specifically not past his height. What happens to the top half? Does it get to keep it's cork? Does it only grow prolifically near the base?


But of course, now when I see a solid round cork tube, with a diameter no wider than my own thigh... I wonder if that tree still lives.

edgeofthefreak said:

It did feel a little 'willy-nilly' to have a go at the tree with an axe. I found it interesting (as long as it is true) that cork is most often harvested this way. I felt like a mechanical method wouldn't take into account the unique features of the tree.

Also, he seemed mostly interested in the bottom half... specifically not past his height. What happens to the top half? Does it get to keep it's cork? Does it only grow prolifically near the base?


But of course, now when I see a solid round cork tube, with a diameter no wider than my own thigh... I wonder if that tree still lives.

Click to expand...

The cork on these trees goes all the way up to the leaves. This dude just killed a 100 year old tree for a few feet of bark. May as well have cut it down and took it all

The cambium layer is where all fluids and nutrients are drawn up from the roots to the leaves in a tree. Once exposed like this, it no longer functions properly. Over he next couple of weeks this tree will be bone dry, dead.

There are about 20+ cork bark Oaks within a block of my house. I was so hoping this video had some useful info on how to safely extract a little bark. If I went after one of these trees like this in my town, I'd be jailed before the first chunk hit the ground

This is what I get for believing a video's description, and not looking into the sources.

It straight up says that this WON'T harm the tree, but I'm old enough to know that the Internet lies sometimes. *sigh*

---------- Post added 08-21-2014 at 12:38 PM ----------

From some random Googling, without any nice sources so far, I believe that cork CAN be harvested without killing the tree, in the very manner of the posted vid. But there are some considerations:

·Cork is first harvested when the tree is between 15-20 years old, to ensure a large amount can be harvested. Any earlier and the harvester may cut too deep, killing the tree.

·Cork is then harvested every 9-12 years thereafter, for the 150+ years that the tree will live. Again, shortening the time span could cause the harvester to cut too deep, killing the tree.

·The process is "standardized" by the many many countries who naturally grow cork. Of course, getting my countries to agree on something such as conservation can be a little daunting.

However, money is involved here. It's an industry, and one that has a disease that work against the tree, making cork even more valuable. So if Tom Cruise up there in that video IS killing that tree, I'm very certain that there are people who'd want to know about his actions. And so far, YouTube is great place to post something stupid and get attacked for it.

It seems like a similar method for shearing sheep. If I were to try and score some free wool, well, I'd have to find a farm, trespass on to the property, and likely do a HORRIBLE job taking the wool. The sheep would get an infection or five, and liekly die or cost tons of money to make well.

Then I post it to YouTube: "How to score free wool with only an axe."

Basically, I'm bad at finding sources for things, though I will try later tonight via Google Scholar. Does anyone else want to weigh in, pro or con, about this particular topic?

---------- Post added 08-21-2014 at 12:42 PM ----------

Here were the two meager sources I skimmed or details, and they don't post their own sources:

http://www.corkinstitute.com/harvest.html

http://www.corkqc.com/harvesting/harvest.htm

When I find more, I'll add em here.

http://mediterranean.panda.org/about/forests/cork/
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cork_oak/
http://apps.kew.org/trees/?page_id=94