Are my Doug Firs going to make it?

[moutainmouse]

About 9 months ago we noticed needle drop was clogging rain gutters and covering the ground below. These 3 trees are Douglas Firs growing on high bank beachfront on Puget Sound accross from Seattle WA. The tree closest to the building is a little over 4 feet in diameter and the other two are slightly smaller. They are all in excess of 150' tall. The builing you see was put in about a year ago. The contracter said he didn't cut or run into any roots but I find that a little difficult to believe. The tree closest I could understand being affected by the excavation but the others should not have. There are other trees in the area that show some of the same needle drop and a few are dead.
Questions:
Can these trees make it or is the needle loss the end?
If they are dead, How long can till the branches start to rot to the point where they are in danger of falling. We are in a high wind area and want to prevent any damage from falling branches.
On picture tree5 please note the healthy doglas fir to the left for comparison to the ones loosing all their needles.

Any help appreciated
moutainmouse

 

[Stumper]

Those don't look like Doug Fir-More like Grand fir. Sorry to say it looks like they are not going to survive. They won't start shedding branches immediately but don't procrastinate. Prices will start going up after they have been dead a while because the trees become more and more questionable. You are probably safe for a few years but prompt removal is best/wisest/cheapest.

 

[jason j ladue]

good call, stumper. you hit the nail on the head. grand fir. and they are certainly goners. too bad. great trees. i wonder if they are worth any thing for their lumber. if they are, their value will diminish the longer they stand dead.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I think your best getting them on the ground, and making them firewood. I could be way off, but I'd say if you want any money out of these trees, that's how you'll get it. There would be some timber value in these trees, though Doug Fir is more sought after. The problem would be getting a gypo logger to come in there and get them down in once piece, able to get them into full marketable 33' logs. Could they come down in one piece? I don't know about over your way, but here in P.A. firewood will go from $100 to $150 a cord. You'd probably make more money selling it like that-there's mulitple, multiple cords in those trees.

And it is sad to see them die. Nice, nice trees.

Jeff

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I just read your profile-wannabe arborist-well here you go. Have at it. Bring them down a little at a time. I've never climbed a tree with a saw, as I'm more of a timber guy, but I'd hav to say working in a living tree is far more ideal than working in a dead one. Let us know how it turns out...

Jeff

 

[treeseer]

ANy of you guys have an idea of the casue? We are having unprecedented needle drop in our pines but I can't see signs of rust or other disease or bugs. Tip growth often stays green but the rest is bare. The state lab is stumped, and so am I

 

[rbtree]

hello mouse, those appear like Pacific silver fir to me, and are certainly goners, most likely construction damage.

Let me know if you need a hand, I'm in Shoreline, and can get em down for ya in a flash.

 

[Dadatwins]

Nice to see you back in front of the keyboard again RB, how about you stay around a while?

 

[moutainmouse]

Thanks for the replies. I thought it might have been silver fir. The needles have the two stripes on the back but is hard to distinguish because they are dried up. The bark looks like the silvers in the olympics. I thought they liked it 2500' and higher. I was told maybe Douglas because it is predominate here and something about the way the needle joined the stem. The bark did not look like the Doug firs I know. More learneded I am now!
The trees can not be felled where they are. The property is landscaped, there is a road and a bald eagle nest about 100 feet away. The only thing I lack now is a saw big enough to handle. Any suggestions. (giant can of worms).
moutainmouse

 

[rbtree]

I think eagles are now off the protected list, so perhaps it is now legal to work that close to them. Would still be better to do it in the fall, if they are currently nesting or raising young.

Do you have any climbing experience? Might be better to bite the bullet and get a pro.

click my signature link,we 've done a tree or two.....

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

The only thing I lack now is a saw big enough to handle.

Stihl 440 Mag. The 460 would work, but it's probably more saw than you'd need, and the 440 would work great. Just my suggestion. A Husky 372 while you can still get them would be a good choice as well. Like any saw purchase, it comes down to what you're used to and dealer support.

Jeff

 

[moutainmouse]

I can climb single or double rope. Have no time or experience with spurs yet. I have fell trees this size long ago but have never taken one down this big from the top down.
Balancing buying a new big shiny saw or hire to have it done while I watch (sigh)
Thanks again
moutainmouse

 

[treeseer]

More than size of saw, you're missing the rigging gear necessary for a job like that, and the experience. Not a job for the faint of heart or inexperienced OR the self-insured.

 

[Dadatwins]

More than size of saw, you're missing the rigging gear necessary for a job like that, and the experience. Not a job for the faint of heart or inexperienced OR the self-insured.

Great advice, buy a few cold drinks sit down the street and watch a pro handle those trees. To many accidents from I-think-I-can tree guys to deal with trees that size so close to property. Do not become another statistic, Take the offer from the forum member here to at least look at the work, if you want to cut that bad, ask RB, he might let you make the flush cuts.
Good luck.

 

[moutainmouse]

You're right. I've contacted someone off of this forum and am setting up a time to get this done. I'll continue to be a wannabe when it comes to trees this big. Thanks for all the advice. I will be watching/learning......
moutainmouse

 

[jason j ladue]

mountainmouse, definitely give this some serious consideration before attacking these trees. i am seeing a couple pretty big red flags sticking up here. nobody wants to see you in the injuries/fatalities thread. it's one thing if you want to try to flop them your self -although the potenetial for disaster is certainly distink in that scenario too, but climbing opens a person to a whole nother world of possibilities. get my drift? hire an expert. please.

 

[Dadatwins]

You're right. I've contacted someone off of this forum and am setting up a time to get this done. I'll continue to be a wannabe when it comes to trees this big. Thanks for all the advice. I will be watching/learning......
moutainmouse

Yahoo, someone listened to a reasonable sound suggestion posted here instead of going off half-bent on their own, What a great day.
Thanks Mountain, for restoring a little faith back to the forum.