I came home home from lunch yesterday and found some trees were missing! The golf course owner and his crew had started cutting the big old dying ash in the line of trees behind our homes. That included our own two big ash trees, and two smaller ones, as well as the neighbour's very large one.
You probably don't recognize the big gap between the trees here, but there used to be several more trees, admittedly dying. We knew they had to come down and we were all a little worried about how much this would all cost.
Before I scarcely got into the house and out on the deck to watch, the first of our large two ash was down and being carted away. I should make clear that these trees were all on the golf course side of the property line.
The sawyer certainly knew what he was doing. Here he's cutting a large notch on the north side of the tree, the direction in which he wants it to fall.
And here he's making the cut on the south side of the tree which will fell it.
And down it goes, with a great big whooommpf! The whole operation was a far cry from the arborists we had visit two years ago. They roped individual big branches down carefully.
Then it was flat on the ground. These were trees we didn't actually see very much, as the view was blocked by our Sugar
Maple. We just saw the bottom 10 feet of the tree trunks.They lopped it into 16 foot sections - he even had a tape measure.
And then they carried it away making a pile behind the big spruce tree where I couldn't see it.
And then they continued down the line. This is the huge stump of our neighbour's very large double-trunked tree. We were worried about this one because it was leaning our direction, but he dropped it into a 6 foot gap between our shed and the spruce. I was really impressed. Now I'll try to gather some before and after pictures together.
Where is his hard hat? When we last had some trees felled at our other property, after the last of the 16 was down I asked Baz was he happy with everything? " Yes, but the last one could have been 5cm to the right!!" It barely touched the still standing tree some way off.He was an expert arborist, and he did trim selected branches from higher up if there was too much foliage.Will this make a difference to your sunlight or the view?
ReplyDeleteGlad you won't have sick trees around, that might come down in storms. It is always amazing to watch an old tree with many years of growth rings be decapitated. And maybe become lumber if it's 16 feet long? But a sick tree might not be welcome in a lumber yard. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteIs there any better entertainment than watching other people work? Especially if they are skilled in an area where most of us wouldn't have a clue.
ReplyDeleteSure would have been interesting viewing . glad you were around to watch and share the pictures with us. C
ReplyDeleteIt is quite a skill to cut down a tree. Ken cuts down the trees that die around our house. My step dad taught him how to cut trees down.
ReplyDeleteAsh wood for furniture and the like is going to be such a premium product going forward. We had ours cut in 2000, air dried for a year, then kiln dried to finish. We got hardwood floors for the livingroom, a new set of kitchen cabinets and big armoires upstairs. We still have one BARELY hanging on out in the front field, but the one beside the creek doesn't have any leaves this year. It's actually over the neighbours line, but they don't care so it will eventually just fall I guess.
ReplyDeleteThere has been a lot of tree felling on the island in anticipation of hurricane season too. Many weakened trees after hurricane Fiona have been removed. You had a great view of the work there. Great photos, FG.
ReplyDeleteIm impressed too! Wow, nice job, eh? I'll bet you're happy to have them gone. I hope no one was golfing!
ReplyDeleteI'm always amazed at the accuracy of experienced tree cutters in bringing down big trees exactly where they want them to fall.
ReplyDeleteImpressive work! I feel sad to ever see a tree felled, but I do know they need to be removed when they get sick like the ash trees here.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I see tree cutters in operation, I am impressed.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious, will this open up your yard more to golf course? I'm thinking errant golf balls but perhaps more light in the garden too.
ReplyDeleteQuite the job they do!
Dreading the arrival of the Emerald Ash Borer in our neck of the woods. We have one particularly large ash tree by the pond, and lots of others throughout the bush.
ReplyDeleteAlways interesting to watch. Glad the danger to your home was eliminated.
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