Controlling the spread of trees

[Kuwani 16]

I'm trying to control trees from spreading into an area of grass. I know you can stop marsh by surrounding it with sand. Can you stop trees with a similar boarder? If so how wide does it have to be or how many tiles can a tree self plant a sprout from itself?

[williamwierd 390]

can turn it into lawn if it's on-deed.

 

I saw a local desert/plains/steppe/forest up north with tiny chunks of grass out in the desert a bit, and originally it had no trees, and then a while ago I then noticed apple tree sproutlings. So I can tell you sand(with around ~5~ tiles away from the next nearest grass with nothing but sand in between) does not work.

 

 

Only way is to cull all the trees that are encroaching, as far as I know.

Edited August 8, 2014 by williamwierd

[Kuwani 16]

Its not on my deed and I would rather not turn it into lawn as well its an ugly tile in my opinion. Its my perimeter and I would like to keep it free of the pines around me. I could clear cut the forest around me I guess, but I would rather manage it without deforesting the whole peninsula I live on.

[conmcb25 378]

Need to just sharpen the axe I believe.

 

I have seen them jump at least 5 or 6 tiles over grass (It could be more thats just waht I remember seeing), seems to be somewhat random.

[Ntxtreme 5]

May be able to trim grass to lawn if on deed to control growth.

[Ntxtreme 5]

Or plant Oaks

[conmcb25 378]

Or plant Oaks

[Kuwani 16]

Hrm, I suppose I could do oaks over time as that would be mostly open grass and not block line of sight too much. I don't have that many oak sprouts right so its sounds like deforestation is in the cards for this weekend.

[Jonydowy 616]

ye,oaks are the best option so far,i wanted something else too..but no luck, oaks or just make it all steppe(ugly imo)..

[StrykerZero 5]

I have a lemon tree infestation on my new deed and I asked the same question in CA chat. I was told that a tree can "drop a seed" everytime it progresses to it's next age and that seed has a 10 tile radius from it's origin. My plan is to plant concentrations of desirable trees and cut down pest trees and re-forest the area.

[Kuwani 16]

Wow ten tiles huh? That's pretty nuts. I was hoping it was like two or three, maybe five at the worst. I guess I'll be going with oaks long term and in the near term clear cutting everything.

[Hawkstars 20]

Try fencing the trees in. I have never tried myself but a friend said it works. Worth a try i guess

[4neofclubs 97]

ye,oaks are the best option so far,i wanted something else too..but no luck, oaks or just make it all steppe(ugly imo)..

trees cant spawn on steppe tiles?

[Kuwani 16]

Fencing is an interesting if it works, but since this is off deed and trying to keep trees out rather than in that would be quite the project. I thought of the steppe tile option as I'm pretty sure a tree can't seed there, but I'm not sure if steppe can convert grass or just dirt. I wouldn't want steppe moving into my deed either.

[Caveman 86]

Try fencing the trees in. I have never tried myself but a friend said it works. Worth a try i guess

I don't think fences will stop trees. I have a 8x10 open pasture of grass tiles enclosed with wooden fences. I took a two week break from the game and when I got back there were some saplings that started growing in the pasture.

 

It would take some work, but for a test you could clear a 20x20 area of all trees and just monitor it for a while. If you maintain the outer 10 tiles then no trees should spawn in the inner 10x10.

[LorenaBanana 49]

sand down a 6 tile perimeter. Trees spawn 5 tiles around a tree.

[As_I_Decay 1,592]

Need to just sharpen the axe I believe.

 

I have seen them jump at least 5 or 6 tiles over grass (It could be more thats just waht I remember seeing), seems to be somewhat random.

I've seen much further than 5 or 6 tiles.

I am a guy that likes grasslands/meadows.

[Kadore 926]

Steepe tiles work well.

[Tristanc 570]

Fencing won't work, as it doesn't prevent trees from growing on grass tiles in a fenced-in area on their own.

 

Pines nearby are unfortunate because pine trees are the fastest growing of hardwood trees (not fruit) in the game.

The idea of planting oaks or willows spaced apart is probably the best suggestion in the OP's case.  While they are trees, they'll insure large areas of grass remain grass and you can even plant flowers around them in the grass.

 

Note that when the oak or willow regrows from young after becoming shrivelled there's a window of opportunity that other trees might sprout around it because the oak has to reach a certain age stage to extend their no-trees range out, but it does minimize such chances.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Tristanc

[Marshlander 188]

Planting grape bushes will of course prevent the spread of trees on those tiles, and provide a good line of sight over the area. Spreading gravel (which also occurs naturally in some areas) is a permanent measure, too.

[Tristanc 570]

Planting grape bushes will result in a massive spread of grape bushes over the grass, though.  I guarantee that.