I think this has some potential in B&W, especially if you play with the Luminance a bit. The background isn't really important here, unless you specifically want to say that this tree died at the edge of the Grand Canyon.
[attachment=14542:Lorraine...ersion_3.jpg]
In B&W, you obviously don't have colour to work for you, so you have to fall back on tone, texture, contrast, etc.
Here are a couple of examples...
Triceratops
[attachment=14541:IMG_5428.jpg]
Black Willow
[attachment=14540:IMG_4371.jpg]
Mike.