Lake Arrowhead

See the hole half way up the tree? It
is (was) about 8" in diameter.
Squirrels were living in it, and this
80' tree was over a picnic area. An
internal "central column of decay"
had developed, making this
California black oak unsafe. This
time, easy access and an adequate
landing zone made removal by
rigging more economical for our
client, the Rim of the World
Recreation and Park District.

This eucalyptus was killed during
the Old Fire in 2003. An
unfavorable landing zone
necessitated removal by crane.
The climber is in the lower
branches wearing a blue shirt.

Here is a closer picture of the
climber making his cut with a
chainsaw. A "choker" cable from
the crane is attached higher in
the dead tree.

The cut has been made, and
the crane is about to lower a
large section of the upper
canopy to the ground where the
crew is waiting to process it.

The canopy has been removed
and processed, and now it's the
lower portion of the tree's turn.
Removal by crane is faster and
often actually lowers the removal
cost when access is difficult by
saving time and labor.

Our "Comprehensive Oak Job" again. The 85' high canopy is opened up to dramatically
improve light infiltration and air circulation, while dead wood, rubbing branches, and misteltoe
have been removed. Symmetry is improved by encouraging growth in healthy, well attached
main branches. The wounds were all cut properly and will heal, keeping decay from becoming
established. This tree is now the focal point in the proud owner's yard.

These photos do not do this tree justice. It is a pretty tree! They are before and after
photos of a black oak we trimmed. Note the storm damaged limbs, mistletoe, and
high density of the canopy in the photo on the left. These photos were taken in late
April, when the tree has just begun to leaf out. In a few more weeks, you would not
have been able to see through it. The photo to the right shows the tree after we
removed approximately 1000 pounds of material. It is now safer, healthier, and more
resistant to storm damage, decay, and pests.

The photos above and right shows our
crew removing forty trees killed by the
western pine bark beetle along the side
of SR 173 next to Lake Arrowhead. This
project involved huge, mature trees
hemmed in between a lakefront
residential neighborhood and highway
around the lake. A crane was used to
ensure safety to the public and crew, to
facilitate dozens of hazardous removals,
all quickly and efficiently.

Here is a fine example of our "Comprehensive Oak Job" applied to a California black oak.
This oak was a real mess, but is now a show piece of the nieghborhood. Because so much
material needed to be removed (mostly storm related damage), the work was completed over
two growth seasons in order to reduce shock to the tree. When pruned properly as this oak tree
was, and if no storm damage occurs, no further pruning should be needed for 10 to 15 years.
The wounds will heal in a few years, sealing themselves and protecting the tree from decay.

Here is a good example of an interior central column
of decay. Improper pruning or neglecting trees
frequently results in this condition. As you can
imagine, this loss of holding wood greatly weakens
trees and causes branch failure.

These cross sections came from 6 feet up the trunk of a black oak, and show extensive decay. We had been
called out to remove branches from another tree that were hitting the roof. Being a "tree guy," Dan observed
anomalies in an adjacent oak, and recommended further investigation. A core sample revealed a weakened
structure, and removal was advised. The column of decay started at the base of the tree and extended upward for
18 feet. The 85 foot tall canopy was full, lush and heavy, making a beautiful but dangerous tree. It was growing
over a garage and could have fallen at any moment. The ruler inside the cavities help give some perspective to
the tree's size.

This oak is badly
infested with
large clumps
mistletoe and is
causing several
trees around it to
become
infested, and
should be
removed. It has
been negelected
and will never
thrive again. If all
the infested
branches are
removed now,
which is the best
method to
control mistletoe,
there would be
little left of this
tree.

Here's our crew setting up sections of a mobile platform for use on docks. There were areas we could not access with our trucks during this 20 acre Forest Care project along the shore of Lake Arrowhead. The photos show how the platform was transported by barge to
appropriate docks and used to stage tree slash from the shore. The slash was then transferred to the barge and moved to a beach where we processed it with a wood chipper into our chip truck. This greatly helped in lowering the impact on the shoreline.