Betula alleghaniensis to the thin bark and lack of ability to resprout, it is easily killed by wildfire. Sugar maple ("Acer saccharum") exerts allelopathic effects on seedlings of yellow birch and decreases their growth ability. The inhibitory chemical is exuded from the roots of the sugar maple and has a very short soil half-life, it no longer has effects on birch after 5 days. It is listed as endangered in Illinois. Yellow birch is considered the most important species of birch for lumber and an important hardwood timber tree; as such, the wood of "Betula alleghaniensis" is extensively used for flooring, furniture,
Bark spud (tool) Bark spud (tool) The Bark spud, (also known as a Peeling Iron, Peeler Bar, Peeling Spud, or abbreviated to Spud) is an implement which is used to remove bark from felled timber. Most bark spuds have steel heads and wooden handles, typically hickory or ash. The head is curved, sometimes in one direction with a single cutting edge, and sometimes more dish shaped and sharpened on three sides. In use, the sharpened edge is slid between the bark and the wood, removing the bark from the tree in a number of strips. It is especially useful at removing bark without