Is this arborist competent?

[IllinoisJim]

I have a good sized oak that one stem has died - two other similar size stems still alive. I would like to keep the rest of the tree for as long as I can so found a person who said they could take down the one stem. The tree is probably 50 - 60 feet to the very top. This limb leans a fair amount away from the other stems. Probably 18" near the base and they separate within about 4' of the ground. The dead stem was alive last year and has a couple small green stems this year. Have some other trees about 30 feet away and realize they may get some damage. The plan was for him to climb to about 35', cut several large branches, and cut the main trunk as they came down. Today they showed up and got up about 15'. Messed around with their gear some and I didn't pay too much attention until I heard them start some serious cutting. They cut a very small notch out of the tree at that level. I stopped them because the notch was not in the direction we wanted the tree to fall- off by at least 30 degrees and right toward another good sized tree I want to keep if possible. When I pointed out the problem they said they couldn't get around enough to cut a properly oriented notch. Claimed the wood was too soft. I looked at the small chunk they removed and it was all very solid. The bark is very thick and loose on one side of the removed piece. I am guessing their spikes weren't long enough to get through the bark. They also didn't throw a line over a higher branch to help themselves climb which I think is often done. They just put a rope around the stem they attempted to climb at their level.

I stopped them before they got much cutting done. They said they could line up someone with a bucket truck but I didn't have a good feeling about the whole thing - said they could only get about 10 feet higher but also that the bucket truck was 50 feet - just didn't add up. Would rather someone climb it but now I doubt anyone will want to with it cut.

I could cut it down at the base of the stem from the ground and could get a bigger notch for more direction control. Don't know that much about climbing but have done some falling. Nothing too difficult. Wanting to get some professional opinion of this. Need to wait for drier weather to get heavy equipment on the grass. Though about just renting a towable 35' lift to do it myself as it would be a lot lighter than a bucket truck.

 

[grizz55chev]

I have a good sized oak that one stem has died - two other similar size stems still alive. I would like to keep the rest of the tree for as long as I can so found a person who said they could take down the one stem. The tree is probably 50 - 60 feet to the very top. This limb leans a fair amount away from the other stems. Probably 18" near the base and they separate within about 4' of the ground. The dead stem was alive last year and has a couple small green stems this year. Have some other trees about 30 feet away and realize they may get some damage. The plan was for him to climb to about 35', cut several large branches, and cut the main trunk as they came down. Today they showed up and got up about 15'. Messed around with their gear some and I didn't pay too much attention until I heard them start some serious cutting. They cut a very small notch out of the tree at that level. I stopped them because the notch was not in the direction we wanted the tree to fall- off by at least 30 degrees and right toward another good sized tree I want to keep if possible. When I pointed out the problem they said they couldn't get around enough to cut a properly oriented notch. Claimed the wood was too soft. I looked at the small chunk they removed and it was all very solid. The bark is very thick and loose on one side of the removed piece. I am guessing their spikes weren't long enough to get through the bark. They also didn't throw a line over a higher branch to help themselves climb which I think is often done. They just put a rope around the stem they attempted to climb at their level.

I stopped them before they got much cutting done. They said they could line up someone with a bucket truck but I didn't have a good feeling about the whole thing - said they could only get about 10 feet higher but also that the bucket truck was 50 feet - just didn't add up. Would rather someone climb it but now I doubt anyone will want to with it cut.

I could cut it down at the base of the stem from the ground and could get a bigger notch for more direction control. Don't know that much about climbing but have done some falling. Nothing too difficult. Wanting to get some professional opinion of this. Need to wait for drier weather to get heavy equipment on the grass. Though about just renting a towable 35' lift to do it myself as it would be a lot lighter than a bucket truck.

Pics would help.

 

[ATH]

Agree...pics. my first though is why can't they set a line in the main/living part of the tree? Check that....my first thought is why are they cutting oak in May?!?
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_species/oak_wilt/

 

[IllinoisJim]

Here are some pics. As for the line in the living part - seems like the reasonable thing to me although the higher part is not over the part being removed but as I said I am not that familiar with climbing - just seen it done a few times.
Oak2 is from the angle I want the tree to fall and it's natural lean. If it is taken down as one piece just cutting at the bottom it will reach to about where the picture is taken from and likely take out the bigger trees on each side. I realize the small tree in the center may get damaged and hopefully just minor damage on the others. If the limbs are cut first they will fall more or less straight down and barely reach the other trees if at all. The pic of the removed notch shows some separation of the bark and it is about 1" thick but the main wood is completely solid. Being taking down now because this stalk is dead - wife is anxious to get it done although the ground would be firmer later in the summer. If it's dead what difference does the time of year make? Harder on the remaining tree? Appreciate any feedback on this.

 

[ATH]

Regarding time of year... didn't you say there were some green twigs on it? If they cut into live wood, that can attract beetles that carry oak wilt. Of it is 100% nothing but dead wood cuts, there is not an elevated risk. Hit as soon as love tissue now cut, if beetles with the fungus show up the disease can certainly spread into the living part...and to surrounding oak trees.

 

[IllinoisJim]

Regarding time of year... didn't you say there were some green twigs on it? If they cut into live wood, that can attract beetles that carry oak wilt. Of it is 100% nothing but dead wood cuts, there is not an elevated risk. Hit as soon as love tissue now cut, if beetles with the fungus show up the disease can certainly spread into the living part...and to surrounding oak trees.

There are a few VERY small live twigs so it isn't totally dead. When would be the time to cut oak to avoid this? From you comments it sounds like the chance is increasing now. Not sure I want to leave it like it is until winter if that's the preferred time. Would it help to cut it down to about 20' now and cut the rest next winter? I could easily handle the last section if the rest was cut.

Read up on it. Guess we already are susceptible with the cut notch. As you say, looks best to get it done quickly. And treat the area with something. I saw latex paint recommended.

 

[ATH]

Best bet is waiting until October. Not that it can't happen...but if that was alive last year, it is unlikely to come down during the summer. If you must do it before, can it wait until July as that is a reduced infection period. If cutting it high means they are not into any live tissue, that would be better. If there is some live tissue towards the bottom, yes, that would be a good plan.

http://ipm.illinois.edu/diseases/series600/rpd618/

 

[ATH]

In the first pic, it looks like there is a big live branch right over the dead...but it is hard to say in the other pics. If that is right over (or even just a couple of degrees off), that is where I'd tie in. Go up the dead portion and take off the big branches. Rid down if need be - wouldn't take much to do that. But maybe that is not as easy as the pic makes it look

 

[IllinoisJim]

In the first pic, it looks like there is a big live branch right over the dead...but it is hard to say in the other pics. If that is right over (or even just a couple of degrees off), that is where I'd tie in. Go up the dead portion and take off the big branches. Rid down if need be - wouldn't take much to do that. But maybe that is not as easy as the pic makes it look

It's a bit more than a couple degrees but probably could help up to about the point the first major branch is. After that they diverge more.

There are a few leaves about 3/4 of the way up to the first major branch. The only part that is obviously dead is the last vertical shoot at the top - it is discolored and pretty clearly dead. Hard to tell with the rest.

I think the guy just gave a cheap bid and figured he would knock it down the easiest way. Had a pretty limited amount of gear, in my not so educated opinion.

With the small notch, no leaves to catch the wind, and solid wood I am thinking I am pretty safe to leave it until fall. We have had some small branches falling from various parts of the tree for several years so that will probably continue. Not worried unless the main trunk might break.

 

[IllinoisJim]

I am not worried about some divots in the yard. I can deal with those and have some yard grading to do anyway from other projects. Mainly trying to limit damage to other trees. Once it's on the ground I can handle cleanup and turning the big chunks into firewood.

 

[IllinoisJim]

Main questions are don't they make longer spikes to deal with thick bark and isn't a line normally run over a higher branch, even if it isn't directly above for fall protection if nothing else?

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Main questions are don't they make longer spikes to deal with thick bark and isn't a line normally run over a higher branch, even if it isn't directly above for fall protection if nothing else?

In order, not sure, but I think so, and even if not, spikes aren't a necessity to climb a tree. They're not used except for removals, so all pruning should be done without them, and is accomplished regardless of bark thickness.

And yes, 2 methods of being tied in is the safe (and I believe mandated) way of going about it. Typically, the flip line (around the tree) and a tie in above.

I'm no climber, been turning it down for a decade, so my terminology may be off, but that's my understanding. Either way, if you got a bad feeling from the guy you did the right thing. There's lots of $hitheads out there pretending to be arborists leaving real crappy work in their wake.

 

[IllinoisJim]

This is a removal - just one stalk but still a removal. He had a flip line and spikes. Might have had a climbing line but if he did he never got it out. He did have another guy there and said he never works alone so I will give him that for safety. Otherwise didn't look good.