Pruning a huge, ~150 year old red oak.

[chad556]

So here are a couple of pics from my first really big pruning job. My boss wanted to get rid of the tree because it blocks morning sun to one of our putting greens. I helped talk him into keeping it by slightly thinning the canopy, removing some of the lower limbs and poison ivy vines and taking out the ugly cherry that was growing at its base. That would help let more sunlight through and still let us keep this awesome tree.

The tree itself is about 42-48 inches DBH about 85' tall and 75' spread (didn't use any measurement tools but you get the idea) I estimate the age to about 150 years old. I removed another nearby oak and counted 135 rings and this one was quite a bit bigger. Here are some before pics.

It was a pretty fun job, it was a big tree to move around in and it was the first time I ever moved my TIP while in the canopy. Took my time with all my cuts and carefully peeled off all of the poison ivy vines that had worked themselves about halfway up the tree

And here was the final result. A nice big, solitary, well shaped Red Oak.

Before and After:

 

[RacerX]

Nice work.

I love those pruning jobs where you have a big drop zone. Almost becomes recreational climbing. :msp_wink:

 

[treesandsurf]

Nice job on talking your boss into keeping the tree, what a beauty. Now you just got to talk him into letting you spend more time on the outer third of the canopy :msp_smile:.

jp

 

[tree MDS]

It's nice that you talked the boss into letting you save the tree. Good job on the climbing too. The unfortunate part is that you did more harm than good to that tree. Still better than cutting it down.. I guess.

Some of those cuts look like they may be flush cuts too. I could be wrong though. It's hard to tell from the pics.

Like the other guy said, more work out farther, as opposed to hacking off huge limbs at the trunk.

 

[chad556]

It's nice that you talked the boss into letting you save the tree. Good job on the climbing too. The unfortunate part is that you did more harm than good to that tree. Still better than cutting it down.. I guess.

Some of those cuts look like they may be flush cuts too. I could be wrong though. It's hard to tell from the pics.

Like the other guy said, more work out farther, as opposed to hacking off huge limbs at the trunk.

Yeah I know. I didn't really want to take some of the lower branches completely off but the mandate was to take everything under 25' off so the morning sun could get through to the green and melt off the dew. I did want to get up higher into the canopy and make some reduction cuts to shape it up nicer but after cleaning out the canopy and taking the lower scaffold branches I figured I did enough damage for one year. Haha you've got me a little nervous now. But hey, I have seen weaker trees survive worse.

Don't worry though, no flush cuts, I got as close as I could but the branch collars are still intact and should heal over nicely :biggrin:

Its kind of sad but all the trees on our golf course have been neglected. Lots dead limbs, splits, cracks, rot, torn bark from the "pole saw from the skidsteer bucket" method of pruning. This one was no exception. It was slated for execution mainly because it looked so bad covered in poison ivy and surrounded by weedy little trees. Before the 'before' pic was taken we had already taken out a poplar and about 5 devils walking sticks that were under it.

 

[NCTREE]

Yeah I know. I didn't really want to take some of the lower branches completely off but the mandate was to take everything under 25' off so the morning sun could get through to the green and melt off the dew. I did want to get up higher into the canopy and make some reduction cuts to shape it up nicer but after cleaning out the canopy and taking the lower scaffold branches I figured I did enough damage for one year. Haha you've got me a little nervous now. But hey, I have seen weaker trees survive worse.

Don't worry though, no flush cuts, I got as close as I could but the branch collars are still intact and should heal over nicely :biggrin:

Its kind of sad but all the trees on our golf course have been neglected. Lots dead limbs, splits, cracks, rot, torn bark from the "pole saw from the skidsteer bucket" method of pruning. This one was no exception. It was slated for execution mainly because it looked so bad covered in poison ivy and surrounded by weedy little trees. Before the 'before' pic was taken we had already taken out a poplar and about 5 devils walking sticks that were under it.

Nice work Chad, looks like you are coming along pretty well. I wouldn't be too concerned with shaping the canopy of older trees like that, especially oak, you could be asking for more problems down the road. I'd let the tree be a tree. Seems like you've got your foot on though with getting out the dead, broken and cracked branches. I only do canopy reductions on trees where customers insists or there is some obstacle or major weight issue with the tree.

Have you ever read "Modern Arboriculture" by Alex Shigo? I recomend it if you haven't. I'm actually reading it now it's definatley the go to handbook for arborists.

 

[North by Northwest]

Nice job Chad , you have to start somewhere . We use to seal the scar face with white wash , more recently use spay can of undercoating sealer . Have had to cut a few 100 ' white pines down over the yrs at camp due to close proximity to cabins etc. Most of my trimming or pruning has been within apple orchards a few maple and oak for residential safety reasons . Nice photos keep up the good work !

 

[treeseer]

the mandate was to take everything under 25' off so the morning sun could get through to the green and melt off the dew. I did want to get up higher into the canopy and make some reduction cuts to shape it up nicer but after cleaning out the canopy and taking the lower scaffold branches I figured I did enough damage for one year.

Good work and good reasons. Client objectives can alter specs from ideal to acceptable.
with all the exposure to the ground, mulch would be good.
with the exposure of the big wounds, sealant on the xylem would be good, for aesthetics and to lessen cracking, which should lessen decay.

Thanks for posting; great pics. :msp_thumbup:

 

[albhb3]

First let me say i believe your boss is an idiot he must not now how few oaks that size out there:bang: However rep sent for making the best out of a bad situation.

 

[chad556]

First let me say i believe your boss is an idiot he must not now how few oaks that size out there:bang: However rep sent for making the best out of a bad situation.

Haha I agree with you there 100%, there is a startling amount of things that guy doesn't know. He originally wanted me to just notch and drop the thing to the ground. Lol can you imagine trying to buck that thing up while its lying on its side. No thanks. I would rather dismantle in the air it if it came to that.

Oh and NCtree thanks for the book recommendation I'm trying to find a copy for under 100 :hmm3grin2orange: Might just have to get a copy from the library

Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

[zogger]

nice work, expensive book

Haha I agree with you there 100%, there is a startling amount of things that guy doesn't know. He originally wanted me to just notch and drop the thing to the ground. Lol can you imagine trying to buck that thing up while its lying on its side. No thanks. I would rather dismantle in the air it if it came to that.

Oh and NCtree thanks for the book recommendation I'm trying to find a copy for under 100 :hmm3grin2orange: Might just have to get a copy from the library

Thanks for the feedback guys!

---cool job man! Slick getting paid to do *fun stuff*!

--ya, I just looked on amazon for that book..sheesh..this is the computer age, and publishing on demand and e-books, it is ridiculous to charge that much for a book. I was going to pop for one right now, but he gets no money from me instead of *some* money by keeping it so expensive.

I'm more a ten bucks for a paperback, a coupla bucks max for a PDF type person.

 

[Neem]

--ya, I just looked on amazon for that book..sheesh..this is the computer age, and publishing on demand and e-books, it is ridiculous to charge that much for a book. I was going to pop for one right now, but he gets no money from me instead of *some* money by keeping it so expensive.

I'm more a ten bucks for a paperback, a coupla bucks max for a PDF type person.

I'm trying to find a copy for under 100

Try on Wesspur. They're selling it for 67$. And shipping is quite cheap compared to other places...I agree...quite expensive...but worth the money.
M

 

[jonathan734]

Awesome Job!