TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES
_II, WARNING: Check for broken or
dead branches which can fall while cut- ting causing serious injury. Do not cut near buildings or electrical wires if you do not know the direction of tree falt, nor cut at night since you will not be aIe to see well, nor during bad weather such as rain, snow, or strong winds, etc. tf the tree makes contact with any utility Iine, the utility company should be noti- fied immediately.
•Carefuily plan your sawing operation in advance.
•Ctear the work area. You need a ciear area nil around the tree so you can have secure footing.
•The chain saw operator shoutd keep on the uphill side of the terrain as the
tree is likely to roll or slide downhill after it is felled.
•Study the natural conditions that can
cause the tree to fall in a particular di- rection.
Natural conditions that can cause a tree to fail in a particular direction include:
•The wind direction and speed.
•The lean of the tree. The tean of a tree might not be apparent due to un-
even or sloping terrain. Use a piumb or level to determine the direction of
tree lean.
•Weight and branches on one side.
•Surrounding trees and obstactes. Look for decay and rot. If the trunk is rotted, it can snap and fall toward the operator. Check for broken or dead branches which can fall on you while
cutting. Make sure there is enough room for the tree to fail Maintain a dis-
tance of 2 _/2tree lengths from the near- est person or other objects. Engine noise can drown out a warning call. Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, naiis,
staples, and wire from the tree where cuts are to be made.
Plan a ctear retreat path to the rear and diagonal to the line of fail
FELLING LARGE TREES
(6 inches (15 cm) in diameter or larger) The notch method is used to fell large trees. A notch is cut on the side of the tree in the desired direction of fall. After
a felling cut is made on the opposite side of tree, the tree wiII tend to fail into the notch.
NOTE: If the tree has large buttress roots, remove them before making the notch. If using saw to remove buttress roots, keep saw chain from contacting ground to prevent dulling of the chain.
NOTCH CUT AND FELLING THE TREE
•Make notch cut by cutting the top of the notch first. Cut through 1/3of the diameter of the tree. Next compiete
the notch by cutting the bottom of the notch. See iiiustration. Once the notch is cut remove the notch of
wood from the tree.
Final (felting) cut here, 2 inches (5 cm) above center of notch
i' _.j..
Notch _ | _t | = |
•After removing the wood from the notch, make the felling cut on the op- posite side of the notch. This is done by making a cut about two inches (5 cm) higher than the center of the notch. This witt leave enough uncut wood between the felling cut and the notch to form a hinge. This hinge wili help prevent the tree from faliing in the wrong direction.
Hinge holds tree on stump and helps control fall
Opening of felling
_ Plan a clear retreat path
"_ | "_ | - Direction of Fal_ |
Closing of notch
NOTE: Before felling cut is complete,
use wedges to open the cut if necessary to control the direction of fall. To avoid
11
