Would you say this tree is too dangerous to climb and dismantle

[TreecisionJp]

I recently went to quote a few ash trees in a small woodland next to a busy main road.
A few of the trees had signs of root rot and were leaning over the road so the customer wanted them removed.

All looked safe enough to climb, especially since I can put an anchor in another tree near by and rig all the limbs to another tree next to it to swing away from the road and the tree, other than this one.

This one ash tree has a heavy lean towards the road along with all weighted limbs on the road side as well making it very uneven, and then to follow it also has a large split up 50% of the tree and visible from both sides.

I am unsure weather it would be safe enough to ratchet strap the split tight, anchor into another tree next to it and just spike and lanyard up this tree and lower all the limbs off the neighbouring tree or would it be better to just use a MEWP to dismantle from road side as has easy access.

[AHPP]

That's fine. Anchor and/or rigging in neighbouring tree if you can (why wouldn't you anyway) but no disaster if you can't. Looks like a twat of a place to site a MEWP.

[Mark J]

I would be cautious. Anchor/rigging into nearby tree sounds sensible to me.

Ash is quite brittle, ash dieback causes vascular disfunction, it has been very dry lately which appears to compound things; the extent of crown loss appears to be no real indicator of the integrity of the stem/ground interface in trees with ADB.

 

[Pete Mctree]

11 minutes ago, AHPP said:

That's fine. Anchor and/or rigging in neighbouring tree if you can (why wouldn't you anyway) but no disaster if you can't. Looks like a twat of a place to site a MEWP.

Why make a decisive decision on a tree that you have never seen? Making recommendations when you have no idea of the skill set of the climber to carry out the task? Is that not reckless?

 

I have climbed too many trees like that and will use a MEWP when possible- Yes, I would climb it, but reluctantly and when only when no other option.

[AHPP]

6 minutes ago, Pete Mctree said:

Why make a decisive decision on a tree that you have never seen? Making recommendations when you have no idea of the skill set of the climber to carry out the task? Is that not reckless?

 

I have climbed too many trees like that and will use a MEWP when possible- Yes, I would climb it, but reluctantly and when only when no other option.

 

Because the bloke asked and he knows I can't see it so will rely on my advice only to a certain extent. I can rewrite my post hedging my bets in every conceivable way but the buck will still stop with him.

[Mike Hill]

7 hours ago, AHPP said:

That's fine. Anchor and/or rigging in neighbouring tree if you can (why wouldn't you anyway) but no disaster if you can't. Looks like a twat of a place to site a MEWP.

Your statement makes me wonder how long you have been climbing full time.

 

Are you climbing on a daily basis?Have you even been doing so?

[Mark Bolam]

I think that by saying there is easy access for a MEWP you have answered your own question.

[slack ma girdle]

The tree is still standing after the 2 pre Christmas storms.

Ratchet straps are a godsend to reassure the climber .

Levels of leaf cover in the canopy is the deciding factor.

A tractor and 8 tonne winch is the safest method.

[AHPP]

4 hours ago, Mike Hill said:

Your statement makes me wonder how long you have been climbing full time.

 

Are you climbing on a daily basis?Have you even been doing so?

 

You'll have to spell out what was so revealing about it because I'm afraid I'm not clever enough to tell.

 

Over ten years overall. Never full time. Had a few weeks of a few years doing 2-3, sometimes 4 days. Had periods of 0-1. Had periods of kicking the arse out of it for 6-7. Had periods of doing nothing for months. Usual ebb and flow of the grimy arbc unt. But what I have done is always turned up for big/ugly trees nobody else wanted and made it work. That's how I can look at the OP's tree with relative surety.

 

So yeah, what have I missed? It's a small tree, still standing, no obvious damage, roots still in the ground, leaning but nothing mental, plenty of other trees to use, plenty of dropzone. There's pictures of both sides of it and if there were wires, snapped tops etc in it, he'd have said. As soon as he takes five 20 kg branches off the road side, he's negated his own weight. Do that a few times and it's done. Keep your tail tidy (road) and don't get pinched on the stem. But if he can't do it, I can. £600 + VAT. Thursday 19th June suits me. Private message on here.

[Mike Hill]

Thank you for your indepth explanation. 

 

How much do I owe you for reading it?