01/27/2026
Why do it that way? Why not just fell the tree? This scenario had several considerations. The base of this Cedar Elm was submerged long enough in the 2015 Blanco River flood, that demise began. It's in a home space walked by people and dogs, so when the tree reached instability recently, it had to be addressed. The priority was to bring it down without damaging the many surrounding young and understory trees which survived the flood.
So, I climbed the tree as high as its integrity allowed, and removed as many limbs as possible so to reduce its width, mostly via speed-line rigging. When its profile was slim enough to fit through its surviving neighbors, it was time to do the felling cut. One of the major factors was then at play. A few years ago, a huge Live Oak uprooted next to the Elm, lifting up a massive limestone boulder embedded in the Oak's root ball. This boulder and root ball were lodged right next to the Elm's base, creating a dangerously unpredictable bounce if the Elm was cut low. Still, it was possible to get on with the show, and proceed to the felling cut, a good 12' up, out of the bounce zone. Gratitude to the ground team, getting it done. Cheers to a good, long life, Cedar Elm, and to the trees living on to rise in the newly opened sky.
