Trees have many benefits. They help to clean the air, remove CO2, reduce flooding, improve our well-being, and more. Some trees produce fruit, and even after they’ve died, they continue to contribute to the ecosystem.
However, sometimes trees need to be felled for a variety of good reasons, such as being a hazard to the public to potentially damaging your property. Sometimes, it’s necessary to fell a tree in order for the woodland as a whole to remain healthy.
With that being said, we guide you through what you should look for when assessing whether or not you should cut down a tree.
The tree is too close to your property
A tree that is growing too close to your property can devalue your home. It can also produce roots that disrupt the foundations of your house and cause damage. If you live on a street or close to neighbouring properties, the roots can damage these houses, too.
Generally, the tree should be at least 20 feet (10 metres) away from a property. If you find your tree is within this distance, you should have it dealt with.
If it’s small enough, the tree can be dug up and moved. You might have to cut some of its roots to remove it, but it can still survive, provided you do this in late autumn or winter. A large tree, however, will have to be felled using a chainsaw to prevent it from causing problems to your home.
The tree is displaying structural issues
Trees that display structural issues should be cut down. This is because they can be unstable and, therefore, a hazard. These are the structural issues you should look for:
- Severe leaning - It’s normal for trees to lean a little. However, when they’re leaning more than 15° in one direction, the root system isn’t supporting the tree properly. Without the proper support, the tree is susceptible to falling on its own and causing harm.
- ‘V’ or ‘Y’ shaped crotch - A tree crotch is the junction where two branches, or a branch and the trunk intersect. Greater than 45° is considered safe; however, if the crotch is a ‘V’ or a ‘Y’ shape, it’s considered dangerous. When a tree has a crotch angle that is too narrow, it limits the trunk growth, creating a weak point. This makes the tree unstable and prone to falling over.
- Hollow trunk - When a tree becomes hollow, the heartwood has decomposed. A hollow trunk isn’t always a sign that a tree is dying, but it certainly shortens its lifespan. It can also put the tree at risk of falling over, as the heartwood serves as stability.
- Large gouges in the trunk - A lightning strike usually causes trunk gouges. They can range from small gouges to a large chunk of the tree missing. When there’s a large gouge, the tree is unstable.
The tree is in poor health
More often than not, if a tree shows signs of ill health, it’s a good idea to cut it down before it dies and becomes a risk. This is particularly true for large trees where the long limbs die before the trunk does. There is also a likelihood that the tree is unhealthy because it has contracted a disease. In this case, it should be cut down to limit the spread.
Here’s how to know if a tree is in poor health:
Fungus growing on the tree
Mushrooms growing on the tree are a sign that the tree is deteriorating. Fungi thrive on decaying wood, and even seeing them on the hard, intact exterior shows that the tree is rotting from the inside.
You should be especially concerned if mushrooms are growing at the tree's base near the roots, which indicates they’re dying and will soon not be able to support the tree.
Peeling bark
Some trees, like Birch, Sycamore, and Maple, shed their bark naturally. Most other species, especially those more common, like Ash and Oak, like to keep hold of it. If you find one whose bark is peeling from the trunk, it’s likely the tree is in poor health and will soon die.
Lack of new growth
If a tree stops producing new growth, like healthy leaves, it’s an indicator that it’s dying. The reasons could be disease, pest damage, old age, or other causes. The tree will unlikely recover, so the best course of action is to cut it down.
Proper practice of felling a tree
Once you’ve identified that your tree needs felling, you can cut it down yourself with a cordless chainsaw. You don’t need a felling licence or any qualifications, so long as the tree is in your private garden. For proper felling technique, follow our guidance below:
- Make sure you are wearing appropriate clothing and safety gear, including a hard hat, work gloves, safety glasses and appropriate footwear to ensure proper footing.
- Assess the tree’s natural lean, branch placement, and wind direction to predict its fall direction. If it’s on a slope, the tree will likely fall down-slope.
- Inspect the tree to see if there are any objects attached to the tree. Sometimes, old nails or other objects like wire are attached. If you find any, remove them. You don’t want to hit these with your battery chainsaw as they can blunt or damage it.
- Make a horizontal notch cut, one-third of the tree’s diameter, on the opposite side to the intended fall direction. This helps prevent the chainsaw or guide bar pinching during the back cut.
- With your cordless chainsaw, create the back cut opposite the notch. The bottom of the back cut should be just below the notch, and the top should be at least 50mm higher. This leaves a wood hinge to control the fall and prevent the tree from twisting. Do not cut through the hinge.
- If the tree doesn’t fall as expected or binds the chainsaw, stop cutting and use wedges to guide it along the desired fall path.
- When the tree starts to fall, remove the chainsaw and turn it off. Then, place the chainsaw down and follow your planned escape route. Stay alert for falling limbs and watch your footing.
You can read more about proper felling practices using a cordless chainsaw in our blog on proper limbing, felling and bucking techniques.
Browse the EGO gardening calendar for more garden tips
Our new gardening calendar is organised season by season. Now you know what gardening jobs need doing and when to have a healthy and thriving garden year after year.
Also, there is plenty of information on maintaining many of your EGO cordless garden tools as you go about your gardening throughout the seasons. Have a browse through and expand your gardening knowledge and put it into practice with the help of the EGO range.