Hi Paul,

Looking here  http://rescueelectronics.com/9-Kilohertz.html near the bottom of the page one can see that the tower is backed up by forest.
I wondered how much, if any,  effect on antenna current running a long radial out in the forest would have?

It might increase the loss resistance.

It is a kind of trade-off: one the one hand more "area coverage" will reduce the loss resistance (cfr. Laurie's footprint theorie) on the other hand coming close to or even going over any greenry will cause an increase of the loss resistance.

If it isn't too much trouble: just try and measure

A) Am I just giving the trees a better return path or  ground connection (the radial)  to the coil???
And the power is being eaten up by the trees???
OR
B)  Is there a chance this power is actually being radiated, and therefore I should pursuit accumulating these grounds, and their current and return it to the coil??

The only way to avoid that power is "eaten" by the trees is staying way from them (or remove them).

Apart from than there is little you can do. Or maybe trow wires over the tree and connect these wires to the ground system (not very practial I'm afraid).

But, with or without trees:, the better the ground system (rod's) the more efficient the antenna will be.

What is a tree at 9 KHz???
A very lossy capacitor ?

73, Rik  ON7YD - OR7T