Sad days, Utility Co. tree removal

[the Rooker]

Well don't know exactly where to post this but I guess I'm seeking commiseration or something.

Tree service through the power company is taking down two 150-200 year old sugar maples in front of the house that are over hanging the road and power lines and part of the house. I've been here 35 years and as a neighbor said, "it's like losing an old friend." They both had big round crowns when I got here but are in rough shape now. They've been shedding smaller stuff for awhile and this past Summer, a big limb came down, blocking the road and creating a mess. They have cracks and holes but still had many live limbs this Summer. They have been my passive air conditioning, have housed honey bees here and there and gave me good sap a number of years ago. One even has an old pulley about 25ft up that must have been for hoisting deer once. Probably loaded with old spiles too. All the branches are now off and the remaining 40-50ft spikes come down today. They're going to leave 20ft or so totems. I've been out there in the eve getting what they don't chip out of their way as much as I wouldn't put it past anyone to steal the firewood during the night.

There's some serious firewood yet to come and between ash borer and tops from a logging job last year, I have more firewood than I can handle. Shed is already overflowing so I'm starting to stack around the yard. This time of year I can't keep my self from not cutting. I don't want that new 362 to get rusty. Not sure how I'm going to handle some of the bigger stuff yet to come. Maple some heavy stuff. It sure is going to look different out there and not looking forward to my loss of shade but am kinda glad they are doing it now with leaves off as it won't look quite so stark right of way.

Well, there it is. Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[Lnk]

Sorry for your loss, but on a good note, you won't be taking up those leaves in the fall anymore.

 

[Brufab]

That sucks I'm sorry to hear. Maples by me get these weird black patches on the leaves and I think it's a marker for disease since they loose there leaves before the healthy trees. You can plant trees where those once stood so maybe in 150 years they will be as big and proud as the ones that once stood there.

 

[sundance]

Anyone have a clue why they leave the "totems"? I've noticed they're doing that a lot around me as well. A number of them are tall enough and leaned to still endanger power lines when they finally come down. I flat out don't understand the logic.

 

[Brufab]

Probly too much work. We had a popple tree hard leaning and in bad shape directly at the power pole they didn't touch it when they came through clearing around the power lines needless to say the pole and transformer got smoked a couple years later.

 

[Brufab]

Thinking if they can't chip it up it's left for someone else to deal with

 

[Huskybill]

I’m going through the same thing. The two just dropped three giant ash trees with more to go besides oaks, maples and hickory. I’m trying to hold off it’s standing firewood no need to cut it all at once.

 

[the Rooker]

Anyone have a clue why they leave the "totems"? I've noticed they're doing that a lot around me as well. A number of them are tall enough and leaned to still endanger power lines when they finally come down. I flat out don't understand the logic.

In this case, I asked them to leave them. My house is close to the road so they will still act as guard rails for the maniacs driving by here. Maybe they would have taken them otherwise tho' I'm sure they preferred not to. My yard is rimmed with big maples so I probably won't miss out on any leaves. These two trees were the biggest.

 

[panolo]

Sorry to hear. The one bright side is that sugar maple is one excellent firewood.

Anyone have a clue why they leave the "totems"? I've noticed they're doing that a lot around me as well. A number of them are tall enough and leaned to still endanger power lines when they finally come down. I flat out don't understand the logic.

They do it around here because it is cheaper. Once there is no danger that they will hit the lines when dropped they stop cutting. Don't care if they lean towards a house or shed, etc. Just that they won't hit the lines.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

Well don't know exactly where to post this but I guess I'm seeking commiseration or something.

Tree service through the power company is taking down two 150-200 year old sugar maples in front of the house that are over hanging the road and power lines and part of the house. I've been here 35 years and as a neighbor said, "it's like losing an old friend." They both had big round crowns when I got here but are in rough shape now. They've been shedding smaller stuff for awhile and this past Summer, a big limb came down, blocking the road and creating a mess. They have cracks and holes but still had many live limbs this Summer. They have been my passive air conditioning, have housed honey bees here and there and gave me good sap a number of years ago. One even has an old pulley about 25ft up that must have been for hoisting deer once. Probably loaded with old spiles too. All the branches are now off and the remaining 40-50ft spikes come down today. They're going to leave 20ft or so totems. I've been out there in the eve getting what they don't chip out of their way as much as I wouldn't put it past anyone to steal the firewood during the night.

There's some serious firewood yet to come and between ash borer and tops from a logging job last year, I have more firewood than I can handle. Shed is already overflowing so I'm starting to stack around the yard. This time of year I can't keep my self from not cutting. I don't want that new 362 to get rusty. Not sure how I'm going to handle some of the bigger stuff yet to come. Maple some heavy stuff. It sure is going to look different out there and not looking forward to my loss of shade but am kinda glad they are doing it now with leaves off as it won't look quite so stark right of way.

Well, there it is. Thanks for letting me vent.

I grew up in the PNW where trees were not much of a adorned or desired item. A property with out trees were beautiful as all trees just got to go. Of course there are tree huggers and such but from my point of view there is a balance to live and let live. The world would be bleak with out any trees or many areas could get overgrown with them. A few years ago a particular family had a large Oak tree on their property and wanted to leave it alone. During a storm at least one good size branch broke off crushing part of a house and their little girl. As a result many people in this area removed or trimmed any larger tree that looked to be a menace. Larger trees that have reached their prime that pose risk should go. This makes room for new growth with a new legacy in the community. I am working on a USFS project that had possibly the largest Pine known to exist but it succumbed to a fire now I drive past it often thinking how it was so majestic but it has made way for new growth. Thanks

 

[the Rooker]

Well here's an update. They started working on the first one and it is so big and gnarly at 30 feet up that they are too afraid to lose a saw and say the town will probably come in to finish it off as there are still some major cracks and cavities. They dropped one main leader limb at about 26" diameter and it was cracked about in half. Not sure how it stayed up. To Ted J point of how unsafe they can be, the way the whole thing was wiggling, I feel a little bit better about them coming down. Waiting on town with loader to move the boulders out of the road. If I had the means, I'd post pics because it's pretty impressive.

 

[unclemoustache]

Pity. All good things must come to an end.

I used to have 4 trees in my front yard - HUGE sycamore, Black cherry, Walnut, and Silver Maple. Only the Walnut remains.






Anyone near you with a portable sawmill? They might be interested in the logs. I certainly would.

https://woodmizer.com/us/Find-a-Local-Sawyer

 

[the Rooker]

Pity. All good things must come to an end.

I used to have 4 trees in my front yard - HUGE sycamore, Black cherry, Walnut, and Silver Maple. Only the Walnut remains.






Anyone near you with a portable sawmill? They might be interested in the logs. I certainly would.

https://woodmizer.com/us/Find-a-Local-Sawyer

Not a straight piece over 6 ft. Just gnarly old maple. Pert near 48" DBH.
Figures the one that leaves you the biggest mess (walnut) is what you have left.

 

[Huskybill]

The ash beetle is killing my ash trees.

 

[pdqdl]

Probly too much work. We had a popple tree hard leaning and in bad shape directly at the power pole they didn't touch it when they came through clearing around the power lines needless to say the pole and transformer got smoked a couple years later.

In general, the utility service is only interested in keeping the trees from causing more maintenance expense and outages. That totem won't cost as much to ignore as it will to remove.

Besides, the trees generally don't belong to the utility, it is just their easement to regulate. It isn't theirs to "remove". So they leave you a tree that serves as a stern warning to not grow up into the wires. If that totem happens to die and you must pay for the rest of the removal, it's just happy days for them.

 

[InTheNorth]

Well don't know exactly where to post this but I guess I'm seeking commiseration or something.

Tree service through the power company is taking down two 150-200 year old sugar maples in front of the house that are over hanging the road and power lines and part of the house. I've been here 35 years and as a neighbor said, "it's like losing an old friend." They both had big round crowns when I got here but are in rough shape now. They've been shedding smaller stuff for awhile and this past Summer, a big limb came down, blocking the road and creating a mess. They have cracks and holes but still had many live limbs this Summer. They have been my passive air conditioning, have housed honey bees here and there and gave me good sap a number of years ago. One even has an old pulley about 25ft up that must have been for hoisting deer once. Probably loaded with old spiles too. All the branches are now off and the remaining 40-50ft spikes come down today. They're going to leave 20ft or so totems. I've been out there in the eve getting what they don't chip out of their way as much as I wouldn't put it past anyone to steal the firewood during the night.

There's some serious firewood yet to come and between ash borer and tops from a logging job last year, I have more firewood than I can handle. Shed is already overflowing so I'm starting to stack around the yard. This time of year I can't keep my self from not cutting. I don't want that new 362 to get rusty. Not sure how I'm going to handle some of the bigger stuff yet to come. Maple some heavy stuff. It sure is going to look different out there and not looking forward to my loss of shade but am kinda glad they are doing it now with leaves off as it won't look quite so stark right of way.

Well, there it is. Thanks for letting me vent.

It's funny how us guys that love logging also love the trees and appreciate their beauty....kinda like how us guys that hunt appreciate the beauty of wildlife even the ones we kill and eat....nothing worse than large trees near the house being cut down

 

[husky455rancher]

I do enjoy doing tree work but it angers up the blood when someone cuts down a huge tree for no reason.

 

[Wow]

I grew up in the PNW where trees were not much of a adorned or desired item. A property with out trees were beautiful as all trees just got to go. Of course there are tree huggers and such but from my point of view there is a balance to live and let live. The world would be bleak with out any trees or many areas could get overgrown with them. A few years ago a particular family had a large Oak tree on their property and wanted to leave it alone. During a storm at least one good size branch broke off crushing part of a house and their little girl. As a result many people in this area removed or trimmed any larger tree that looked to be a menace. Larger trees that have reached their prime that pose risk should go. This makes room for new growth with a new legacy in the community. I am working on a USFS project that had possibly the largest Pine known to exist but it succumbed to a fire now I drive past it often thinking how it was so majestic but it has made way for new growth. Thanks

Fully agree with you. I dunno how I know BUT many times I sense when a tree needs to be cut. I left a huge oak near my house when it was built in 1993. I loved that tree for years. Then just before Christmas a couple years ago something told me to drop it as soon as possible. By that time it was even bigger and additions had created ONLY ONE safe place to fall. My Grandson and I laid it down safely. Then I discovered the heart was starting to rot. Same thing happened at my daughter's house and one at my neighbors. Three or four years before anyone saw that huge maple start to die I told my neighbor lady the tree needs to be cut. She said NO WAY. This year big limbs began to fall the bark opened up and she asked if I'd drop it. Grandson and I dropped it around the First of the year. Daughter called saying Daddy, THAT tree you wanted to cut 10 years ago has died, it's leaning towards the house. We dropped that one too. Last week I dropped one for a neighbor. I'd told him 3 years ago it needed to go. I'm not sure just what it is that makes me know. Ha. Ha. No I'm not a tree physic. Just very old. Been around many trees for many years. Sometimes I just know when they are start to getting sick. My guess is there may be a lot of guys like me. Maybe subconsciously we see something. Good night.

 

[unclemoustache]

I have a little nursery of trees I planted from seedlings. Most are ready to transplant now. I live on the oldest street with the big old beautiful houses, and we lose at least one tree a year. Nobody replants, so I want to repopulate our street for future generations.
But I’m not a good grower- none of the willow oaks survived, as did few of the sugar maples. But there are others- a few silver maple, hackberry, chestnut, red oak, tulip.
Also have a couple dozen Christmas trees.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

Fully agree with you. I dunno how I know BUT many times I sense when a tree needs to be cut. I left a huge oak near my house when it was built in 1993. I loved that tree for years. Then just before Christmas a couple years ago something told me to drop it as soon as possible. By that time it was even bigger and additions had created ONLY ONE safe place to fall. My Grandson and I laid it down safely. Then I discovered the heart was starting to rot. Same thing happened at my daughter's house and one at my neighbors. Three or four years before anyone saw that huge maple start to die I told my neighbor lady the tree needs to be cut. She said NO WAY. This year big limbs began to fall the bark opened up and she asked if I'd drop it. Grandson and I dropped it around the First of the year. Daughter called saying Daddy, THAT tree you wanted to cut 10 years ago has died, it's leaning towards the house. We dropped that one too. Last week I dropped one for a neighbor. I'd told him 3 years ago it needed to go. I'm not sure just what it is that makes me know. Ha. Ha. No I'm not a tree physic. Just very old. Been around many trees for many years. Sometimes I just know when they are start to getting sick. My guess is there may be a lot of guys like me. Maybe subconsciously we see something. View attachment 968151Good night.

Are you just one of the tree whisperer. I concur. Thanks