Tree question - have fungus/hole in Maple tree

[Joseph Zorzin]

Frank Abbott wrote:
> 
> To whom it may concern,
> 
>     I need help concerning a tree in my yard. Its a very tall Maple
> divided into two main branches. Its a fairly old tree and fungus and
> flying ants have really worked on it for awhile. Now squirls and other
> small animals go into the 4 - 5 inch at the base. I'd like to save the
> tree. I really can't top the tree and their is blacktop around it so it
> would be very hard to feed it. I have heard that one could put a
> fungicide in the cavity and then fill with cement
> Any help would be greatly appreciated - I want to save that beautiful
> tree.

I don't think there is much you can do to extend the tree's life; with 
the exception that if it's about to split you could have an arborist 
wire it up. Any other work to fill the holes won't "save" it but might 
make it look better to you. However the way it is now, it's a home and 
food source for wildlife. One reason that it's probably dying is that 
blacktop around it - which has killed the surface roots- assuming the 
tree was there first.

In the forest, many maples are hollow and live for centuries.