Utility work

[Donnie]

Not sure how to go about this but I've no real interest in climbing trees but I'm a cutter in the woods. I've seen a lot of posts on Facebook about utility work, clearances etc. 

 

Is there room for somebody who doesn't want to climb? I've seen the rates varying from 140-200 a day but I'm guessing the 200 part is for a climber. 
 

It's mainly an idea for the future as it looks a bit easier on the body than what I do now. 
 

Would this kind of work as a grounds man be very similiar to that of a grounds man on a tree surgery team? 

[Blackbriarwoods]

I could climb but in no way was I a good climber, so I used to work and ground for my mate (he was one of those people that just took to climbing and seemed to know exactly what to do from day one), he would climb when needed I did the felling as I loved doing it. As a team we worked very well.

Over the years we worked for electricity companies (some line clearance) mainly clearing sub station sites that had become overgrown (tree climbing, felling, hedge cutting and strimming). 

Telephone companies clearing out new line runs and clearing branches off existing lines.

The one I enjoyed most was on the railway, winter spent felling, summer spraying, strimming and yard clearing vegetation.

All of them had tree felling with a mixture of other activities.

Railway had the most felling involved. We cleared mile after mile along the tracks, clear felled whole woodlands when a new yard or line was to be put through and stock yards. Sometimes if a line had been neglected it was closed, we took possession and felled over the course of a weekend, chipping whole trees using some road/rail unimogs.

If any of that is of use to you, remember that a lot of it will be small stuff, not like what you're up to at the moment. Can be a decent way to work although different to what you are used to now

[Donnie]

45 minutes ago, Blackbriarwoods said:

I could climb but in no way was I a good climber, so I used to work and ground for my mate (he was one of those people that just took to climbing and seemed to know exactly what to do from day one), he would climb when needed I did the felling as I loved doing it. As a team we worked very well.

Over the years we worked for electricity companies (some line clearance) mainly clearing sub station sites that had become overgrown (tree climbing, felling, hedge cutting and strimming). 

Telephone companies clearing out new line runs and clearing branches off existing lines.

The one I enjoyed most was on the railway, winter spent felling, summer spraying, strimming and yard clearing vegetation.

All of them had tree felling with a mixture of other activities.

Railway had the most felling involved. We cleared mile after mile along the tracks, clear felled whole woodlands when a new yard or line was to be put through and stock yards. Sometimes if a line had been neglected it was closed, we took possession and felled over the course of a weekend, chipping whole trees using some road/rail unimogs.

If any of that is of use to you, remember that a lot of it will be small stuff, not like what you're up to at the moment. Can be a decent way to work although different to what you are used to now

Aye so I'm basically thinking about if the woods go a bit quiet here or if I get a bit sick of it and fancy a break. You know how it is. 
 

Railway seems like a bit of me though for sure. I appreciate the stuff would be a lot smaller of course. 😂

[Blackbriarwoods]

We worked all over the UK, clear fell 5m back then selective fell (certain species) back to 10m. I was felling all day with a gang feeding the chipper and stacking/securing any larger trunks that might be cleared up later or left, provided they couldn't be moved and laid across the tracks.

Most of it was up to 18" although plenty of bigger stuff on certain jobs. Had to take out some lovely old oaks, about 48" across base on one job. A pedestrian crossing in the middle of nowhere that had had a couple of near misses due to drivers not seeing the people about to cross because of the branch cover being so heavy. Network Rail (at that time, not sure what they are like now) didn't do half measures so not wanting any possibility of risk, wanted them felling rather than any form of reducton. The farmer was selling firewood for years off the wood he collected from that job.