The Big Tree Removal · · PAGE 12.

August 25-26, 2014: The large tree is removed over a two-day period.  I am beginning to post these next few pages on Wednesday, August 27, 2014.  This first photo was taken at 9:36 AM on August 25, 2014 as the crew begins work.  Chris Jenkins was also here helping to get things started by sharpening chain saw blades.

I have over 200 photos to choose from for the following pages.  Not all of them are necessary.  I want to get to the point on the end result for now.  As I select the appropriate photos for the next couple of pages, you will see how the crew were professional, safe, and courteous.  Here is the spot where the tree was standing.   The photo was taken at 5:47 PM on Tuesday, August 26.  That mound of sawdust from the stump grinder is 25 feet long as seen here from near the street.  It is also 20 feet wide between the houses.  It is also about 12 inches above the average terrain in the yard.  It needs to be removed.  I have no idea how much of the stump may still be under the saw dust pile and above grass level.  I moved some of the sawdust at the top of the mound to find something solid just ONE INCH below the surface. There is good black soil under the grass.   And the remainder of the tree trunk in this photo was left behind yesterday because one of their chains broke when they were trying to move it.  I talked to Chris Jenkins and he said they would be coming back to remove it, which finally occurred on Friday, August 29.

The front of the photo above shows where Chris used the stump grinder to remove a root from that tree that was above ground level near the sidewalk.  The black soil is clearly visible.  Chris Rose came to mow the lawn today and was pleased to see that above ground root had been removed.  It could damage his mower.  His guy had to use a weed eater to clear the grass around that root.

August 25, 2014:  The Jenkins crew sets up the lift that will give them access to the tree today.  It will be moved as needed during this one day they will need it on site.

The strategy is to throw a rope over a nearby limb, tie one end of the rope to the limb that is to be cut, then use the rope to lower the cut limb safely to the ground without damaging the property or the crew.  Take notice of the safety belt Ed is wearing.

As soon as limbs and "brush" as they call it, come down to ground level, they are cut smaller as needed, then loaded into the waiting trailer at the curb.

The first cuts are to the big limb that is headed south across the front yard of the house next door.

This wide shot gives some perspective to the area of work over the lot next door.  The guy on the roof has a chain saw handy which he will use later to cut off smaller branches from large limbs that will soon be coming down.

The rope that lowers the limbs to the ground is slack allowing removal before the crew will carry it to the street.  The man controlling the rope is standing by the tree trunk with the rope around the tree to make it easier to control heavy limbs being lowered.

The limbs are cut with a small chain saw at the curb before they are loaded into the trailer.

This process is repeated over and over until all the tree is cut down.  As you can see, the limbs at this level are as big as tree trunks on smaller trees.   There is a place on this part of the tree were a limb was removed a few years ago.   The first limb cut today was at the end of the trunk he is working on.  It was out at the west end of this trunk, almost to the driveway next door.  That first limb was dead already.

This view is from the north side of the tree looking south.

Time to relocate the lift for access to the next limbs.  The out-riggers come up first.

Move the lift to the new location and lower the out-riggers for stability.

Consult with the boss about the next actions.  Chris Jenkins is the black guy in the blue shirt.  His wife Allison is part of the business and paid a short visit to this site today.  The man in the leather safety belt is Ed.  He works at the top of the trees and on the lift to do all major cutting.

This second major limb goes up to the top of the canopy and across the southeast corner of the house next door and over to their driveway across their front yard.  The time is now 10:43 AM.  This next photo is animated by combining three photos shot while my camera is on a tripod.  It shows how the limb will fall the length of the slack in the rope, then swing back and forth a bit.  You can see this limb was already dead.

This next limb has some leaves on it.

Another one heads to the curb and into the trailer.