Tree removal, or felling, is the process of cutting a tree at the base, and letting the whole tree fall to the ground. It is often the easiest and most inexpensive way to remove a tree. Felling can also be the safest method of tree removal, yet there is potential for catastrophic damage if not done properly. How the felling notch is formed, manner in which the back cut is made, and methods for overcoming back and side lean are all major factors determining the success of a tree felling procedure. While this procedure might be the quickest way to get a tree on the ground, it often requires the greatest amount of clean up on site. The ground may be depressed and branches quite often are impaled straight into the ground.
The most frequently performed tree removal technique in our area involves an arborist removing all of the branches on a tree as he encounters them on the ascent up the trunk of a tree. When the arborist reaches the top of the tree, a felling cut is made and the upper portion of the trunk falls to the ground. The arborist then begins to cut and push sections of wood from the trunk, letting them free fall to the ground below. The arborist usually stops when the remaining trunk is short enough to be safely felled. This tree removal procedure is sometimes referred to as “cut and chuck.” While often quickly performed, there are limitations to this method due to safety and potential for damage to the ground below.
Spar pole rigging is different from the traditional tree removal technique, in that after the branches have been trimmed from the trunk, the top and subsequent pieces of wood are caught by a rigging rope and lowered to the ground by an arborist. Once the determination is made to rig pieces out of a tree, factors of safety become critical in this tree care operation. The weight of wood and the structural strength of the rigging point are two of the factors considered by the arborist team.
Whole Tree Rigging and Removal For zero impact tree removal, every part of the tree must be attached to a rope, and lowered from an overhead rigging point. A professional arborist will use many techniques, such as slide lining/speed lining, lifting and lowering, floating anchor points, balancing branches so they float horizontally, and a combination of any of these methods. A crane is often utilized to remove a tree when the tree is deemed unsafe for an arborist to climb it.
Pruning
A tree may need pruning for a variety of reasons:
· to remove diseased or storm-damaged branches
· to thin the crown to permit new growth and better air circulation
· to reduce the height of a tree
· to remove obstructing lower branches
· to shape a tree for design purposes
Once the decision has been made to prune, your next decision is whether or not to tackle the job yourself. In the case of a large tree where you want to remove big branches in the upper area of the crown, it may be best to hire experts. Large tree pruning, in particular, can require climbing and heavy saws or even cherry-pickers and chain saws. This is a job that should be left to trained and experienced professionals. Never compromise personal safety in pruning a tree.
Deadwooding is where branches or limbs die off within a tree and can either break off or become vulnerable. These limbs can then fall over time or during periods of high winds and storms. If dead limbs are left, they will affect the overall health of the tree as rot can set in and spread to healthy areas. This can eventually lead to fungus issues and further damage, rendering the tree beyond help. Deadwooding is mainly used for safety and for the continued health of a tree, though there are other benefits too. A lot of dead wood in a tree reduces it’s aesthetic appearance and this in turn reduces the amount of light that can pass through and makes the tree more susceptible to high winds.
If deadwooding is left unattended, it attracts pests and diseases. The removal of dead wood reduces the weight of a tree and so reduces the risk of limbs breaking off. Dead Wooding is often carried out hand in hand with Crown Thinning.
We are often contracted in by Local Education Authorities to work within School Grounds. Schools are required to upkeep their trees with dead wooding and maintenance to reduce the risk of avoidable accidents caused by falling branches. We have the necessary Insurance in place to work within such environments.
