Cutting Down an Ash Tree at the Farm

August 12, 2022

Maintaining a large farm of gardens, groves, hayfields, and woodlands is a time consuming job. Whenever I am home, I drive around the entire property daily to make sure everything is in good condition.

I especially love all the trees, and have planted thousands here at Bedford. Unfortunately, sometimes trees need to be cut down due to poor growth, damage, or disease. Recently, I instructed my outdoor grounds crew to remove a dead ash tree at the edge of my pinetum.

Here are some photos and a couple of videos showing our process, enjoy.

: This is my pinetum – an arboretum of pine trees and other conifers. I first planted it almost 15-years ago in a field behind my large Equipment Barn and near my weeping willow grove. This collection has grown extremely well and I continue to add additional specimens every year.

: The collection includes pine trees, but I have also included many spruces, firs, and other evergreens. I love all the different sizes and varieties.

: However, just to the side of the weeping willow grove, at he edge of the pinetum, one can see a diseased and dead, or dying, tree – most of it is already bare of foliage.

: Here is another picture. The tree was an eyesore – visible whenever one drove down the carriage road. It had to be removed. This particular tree is an ash tree – one of many infested and killed by the emerald ash borer.

: The borer larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves water and sugars up and down its trunk. On this ash tree, in another part of the farm, one can see the bark beginning to peel away. Eventually this tree will also be cut down.

: This is the lower part of the same tree – also quite damaged by the borer. These insects kill small trees within one to two years and large trees within three to four years once it is infested.

: And here is an image showing the damage done by the emerald ash borer under the bark. The ash borer, also known by the acronym EAB, is responsible for the destruction of tens of millions of ash trees in 30 US states since it was first identified in this country in 2002.

: I instructed my outdoor grounds crew to take down the ash tree last week. Pasang is our resident arborist. He is very strong and very skilled at taking down many of the smaller trees around the farm. Here he is in the bucket of our Hi-Lo preparing to climb into the tree.

: Here, Pasang starts by removing the smaller branches first. It is quite a process – an arborist must work carefully to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

: Pasang then moves onto slightly bigger limbs, taking them down one by one – and always securing himself to the tree with the proper safety equipment.

: Each long section of tree is cut by chainsaw. The ash tree grows at a moderate rate of about a foot to two feet per year. At maturity, they tend to reach between 50 and 80 feet tall.

: In this image, one can see most of the top is already cut down. As all the branches are cut, they are neatly placed in piles, so they are easy to remove later.

: This day was quite warm. Here’s Pasang stopping for a moment before tackling the rest of the tree.

: As soon as he is low enough, Pasang works from the safety of the bucket.

: He is able to take off chunks of the trunk.

: Here, Pasang stops for a quick photo. The tree is now low enough to cut down from the bottom.

: And here is the stump. Ash is a hardwood, along with cherry, oak, walnut, and maple. Thanks Pasang and Chhiring for taking down the tree. See the two videos below.

My outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring, watched from below and positioned the Hi-Lo wherever it was needed. He narrates this short video as Pasang starts to work on the tree. Pasang is using one of our trusted STIHL extended reach trimmers.