Tire swing chain cut, girdle now fixed?

[JVimes]

I bought a house with a tire swing. Its chain was secured around a 10" diameter branch. The branch is now so thick it is enveloping the chain, (nearly completely enveloped on top, and half way enveloped on the bottom of the the branch).

The limb doesn't appear to be dying, to my untrained eye. Lots of leaves, no more dead branches than the rest of the tree. An arboristsit told me the tree looks healthy as a whole (didn't examine the chain).

I was worried about girdling, so I carefully cut a link in the chain as it wrapped around the limb. I also removed the swing.

I can't remove the length of chain from around the limb because the limb has enveloped it so much. Every link is fixed hard in the bark (or covered by it).

Have I fixed the girdling situation by cutting a single link? I cut the link through, it's not a "C" shape. Thanks for the help.

 

[Oldmaple]

Remove what chain you can without damaging the limb (maybe you already have). Sometimes the limb will just grow over it and reconnect without dying. It will leave a weak spot where the chain is, so pruning to lighten the load on that branch would be beneficial.

 

[JVimes]

Good idea, thank you. I'm considering cutting one more link, opposite side, with the end of a hacksaw blade, but seeing it grow around the chain so much already, maybe even a small wound isn't necessary.