Bark Doctor History
I want to heal, repair, and help trees to survive because without them
in my life I wouldn't feel complete. Trees create so many wonderful things
in the world: nature, antique sailboats, and my tranquil house in the
woods, that I want to do for trees what they have done for me.
-Ned Thornton
Ned Thornton's passion for helping trees to flourish began 35 years ago, during the 1974 construction of our family's home among scattered trees on a hill. Our soon-to-be-driveway was so hilly that the concrete for the foundation needed to be pumped up the road. Normally the truck would have backed up the road but a new driver drove up it forward. When the truck backed down the road to leave, it ran into the ditch. They used a cable braced around a large oak tree to pull the truck out of the ditch; this badly damaged the bark of the tree. Ned's urge to heal the damaged tree was strong but he wasn't a tree doctor; all he knew was that if he didn't help this living, breathing plant it would struggle to survive. He had someone from the local nursery come and take a look at the tree. The man removed the damaged bark and applied black sealant, which didn't protect the wound from moisture or bugs. The tree eventually died. That's when I realized that there wasn't a product that would heal trees properly,” my dad reminisced. Ned experimented with healing other trees that were also damaged during the construction of our house. He loosened the bark around the wounded area and used the generic black sealant on it. He noticed the black sealant would deteriorate (from the sun's UV rays), and moisture and bugs would get underneath it. This caused the tree wound to worsen. Ned watched the trees closely, taking excellent care to redress the wounds every time the sealant wore off and re-clean any damage caused by bugs. Because of Ned's extensive care and watch over the trees, they finally healed and survived. Through this experience Ned came to the realization that the black sealant only helped a little; I had to consistently clean and reapply it. I knew there needed to be an easier substance to heal trees."
Within the next several years Ned experimented with various substances and application techniques to help the many cherished trees surrounding our house. I tested 20-30 different products for stickiness, application to damp wood, expansion with growth, and UV resistance. We also played around with different colors to best blend in with the tree," he said. After many years of experimenting, Ned finally created a successful product to save trees, and Bark Doctor was born.
"I have personally watched my dad care for the amazing wooded flora I see from
my bedroom window, which still thrives many years later because of my dad's persistence to
produce Bark Doctor."
-Emily Thornton