Felling a large tree is one of the most hazardous tasks in arboriculture, involving immense forces and unpredictable wood dynamics. Attempting this without extensive experience, specialized training, and appropriate equipment presents a serious risk of severe injury or property damage. Individuals unfamiliar with professional felling techniques should strongly consider engaging a certified arborist to handle the removal. This guide details the technical procedures involved for those who possess the necessary background.
Essential Preparation and Safety
Before any cutting begins, securing the proper documentation is necessary. Many municipalities and homeowner associations (HOAs) require specific permits for the removal of mature trees, especially those exceeding a certain diameter or height. Checking local ordinances prevents potential fines and ensures compliance with environmental protections.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) provides the primary defense against the hazards of chainsaw operation and falling debris. A high-visibility forestry helmet protects the head from falling limbs and integrates a mesh visor for facial protection. Hearing protection, such as earplugs or muffs, is required to prevent permanent damage from the sustained decibel levels produced by a running chainsaw engine.
Leg protection is provided by chainsaw chaps or pants constructed with ballistic material designed to instantly jam the chain upon contact. These should be worn over sturdy, steel-toed work boots that offer ankle support and protection against rolling logs. The chainsaw selected must align with the tree’s diameter, requiring a professional-grade saw with a bar length sufficient to cut at least half the tree’s width in a single pass.
The chain must be sharpened correctly and the tension properly set to ensure efficient, safe cutting and reduce the risk of kickback. Always carry specialized felling wedges made of plastic or aluminum, which are inserted into the back cut to guide the tree and prevent the saw from getting pinched. A clear and readily accessible first-aid kit and communication device nearby completes the preparation.
Determining the Direction of Fall
Accurate assessment of the tree’s natural lean is the foundational step in planning the felling operation. Factors such as prevailing wind, crown weight distribution, and terrain slope influence the tree’s inherent tendency to fall in a specific direction. Ignoring the natural lean makes forcing the tree against its momentum difficult and dangerous.
To confirm the lean, a plumb line or clinometer should measure the vertical alignment of the trunk. This measurement determines the safest path, which must be completely clear of structures, power lines, or other obstacles. The planned drop zone must accommodate the full height of the tree plus a safety margin for unexpected movement.
Once the fall direction is established, the operator must immediately clear and establish at least two distinct escape routes. These paths must be approximately 45 degrees away from the planned direction of fall and located opposite the tree’s lean. The routes must be completely free of brush, rocks, and tripping hazards to allow for rapid movement.
When the tree begins to move, the operator must disengage the saw’s brake and walk, not run, along an established escape path to a safe distance. The base of the tree is the most hazardous area due to the potential for the trunk to kick back or for large limbs to shear off.
Executing the Felling Cuts
Felling involves three precisely placed cuts designed to control the tree’s descent: the face notch, the hinge, and the back cut. The face notch, also known as the undercut, is executed first and determines the exact direction the tree will fall. It is created by making two cuts—a top cut angled downward and a horizontal bottom cut—that meet to remove a wedge of wood.
This notch should penetrate the trunk to a depth of one-fifth to one-third of the total diameter. An open-face notch, created with a top angle of about 70 degrees, allows the hinge to remain intact for a longer duration. A deeper notch increases the accuracy of the fall direction, while a shallower one may lead to less control.
The face notch creates a void for the tree to fall into along the planned line. The hinge is the remaining section of uncut wood between the apex of the face notch and the back cut. This strip of wood acts as the mechanical steering mechanism, controlling the speed and direction of the fall until it finally breaks under the load.
The hinge must be uniform in thickness, usually about 10% of the tree’s diameter. A hinge that is too thin will break too soon, leading to a loss of control, while one that is too thick may prevent the tree from falling completely. Maintaining the integrity of this hinge is essential.
The final cut is the back cut, made horizontally on the opposite side of the tree from the face notch. This cut releases the tension holding the tree upright, allowing it to pivot on the hinge. The back cut must be placed slightly above the horizontal line of the face notch, usually by about two inches, to create a step that prevents the tree from kicking back toward the operator.
As the back cut approaches the hinge, the operator must insert felling wedges into the cut to maintain the kerf opening and apply lifting pressure. Tapping the wedges sequentially drives the tree over, ensuring it moves in the intended direction. The operator must cease cutting and immediately follow the escape plan once the tree begins to visibly move or the hinge starts to tear.
Processing the Fallen Tree
Once the tree is safely on the ground, the material must be prepared for use. Limbing is the process of removing all branches from the main trunk, starting from the base and working toward the top to make the trunk easier to handle. Bucking follows, which involves cutting the trunk into smaller, manageable lengths, typically 16 to 24 inches for firewood or specific mill lengths.
Extreme caution must be exercised during bucking to identify areas of tension and compression within the wood, often called “spring poles.” Cutting a log under tension can cause the wood to snap, posing a serious strike hazard. Logs resting on uneven ground also present a danger of rolling unexpectedly, so stabilizing the trunk with smaller pieces of wood before cutting is necessary.