Felling a tree, even a small to medium-sized one, is a high-risk activity demanding careful planning and execution. Small miscalculations can result in severe injury, property damage, or death. This guide focuses on techniques for safely bringing down trees that are structurally sound and small enough for a single operator. For trees that are large, complex, compromised by disease, or located near power lines or structures, hiring a trained professional arborist is the only appropriate course of action. Following established safety protocols is necessary to mitigate the inherent dangers of this work.
Essential Safety Preparation
Before cutting begins, the operator must be equipped with mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE), starting with head protection. A hard hat with an integrated face screen and hearing protection guards against falling debris, flying wood chips, and the chainsaw’s high decibel output. Lower body protection requires wearing cut-resistant chainsaw chaps or pants. These contain layers of material designed to stop a moving chain upon contact, protecting the legs.
Required footwear consists of steel-toed boots with slip-resistant soles to protect against falling logs and provide secure footing. It is also necessary to inspect the chainsaw, ensuring the chain is sharp, tensioned correctly, and that all safety features, particularly the chain brake, are fully functional. Once the gear is on and the saw is checked, the entire felling area must be cleared of debris, tools, and brush to eliminate tripping hazards.
Determining the Fall Direction
The initial step involves assessing the tree’s intended direction of fall, dictated by several physical factors. The natural lean, the distribution of crown weight, and the prevailing wind direction must all be evaluated. Using a plumb line or similar tool helps accurately gauge the tree’s lean, which is often difficult to determine by eye.
The target zone must be entirely clear of obstacles, including structures, power lines, and surrounding trees. Once the fall direction is established, two distinct escape routes must be cleared. These routes should be positioned diagonally away from the stump at approximately a 45-degree angle opposite the intended line of fall. This planning also includes anticipating the function of the hinge, the section of wood that remains uncut, which controls the tree’s trajectory.
Executing the Felling Cuts
The tree is brought down using a controlled method involving three cuts that create a directional notch and a hinge. The process begins with the horizontal cut, made on the side facing the intended fall direction, penetrating about one-third of the trunk’s diameter. Next, the slanting cut is made above the horizontal cut, angling downward to meet the first cut exactly. This removes a wedge of wood to form the open-faced notch, which guides the tree’s fall and should be perpendicular to the desired direction.
The final step is the felling or back cut, performed on the side opposite the notch. This cut is made horizontally, parallel to the notch’s base, and must be positioned slightly higher, typically one to two inches above the horizontal notch cut. It is necessary to stop the back cut before reaching the notch, leaving a strip of uncut wood that acts as the hinge. This hinge should be about one-tenth of the tree’s diameter and controls the tree’s descent.
If the tree does not immediately fall, felling wedges made of plastic or aluminum should be driven into the back cut to increase pressure and push the tree over. Never use the chainsaw to cut through the hinge, as this eliminates directional control and can result in the trunk kicking back or falling unpredictably. The moment the tree starts to move, the saw must be immediately withdrawn, the chain brake engaged, and the operator must quickly retreat along one of the pre-cleared 45-degree escape routes.
Processing the Fallen Tree
After the tree is safely on the ground, the operator must wait for all movement and falling debris to cease before approaching. The first stage of processing is limbing, which involves removing all branches from the trunk, starting at the base and working toward the top. It is safest to stand on the uphill side of the log and cut limbs on the far side first, using the trunk as a barrier between the saw and the body.
A significant danger during limbing is the “spring pole,” a branch or small trunk caught under tension that can violently snap back when cut. To release this tension safely, a series of small, shallow cuts should be made on the compression side. Following limbing, the trunk is cut into manageable lengths in a process known as bucking.
When bucking, the log’s position must be analyzed to determine if it is under compression or tension, which dictates the cutting technique to prevent the saw from pinching. If a log is supported only at the ends, the top side is under compression. In this case, the cut should be started from the top and finished with an undercut to prevent splitting. Conversely, if the log is supported along its length, the bottom side is under compression, requiring the operator to make a small undercut first before completing the final cut from the top.