Dismantling A 96ft Pine Tree In Derby

Swipe

We recently carried out a challenging tree removal in Derby, taking down a 96 foot pine that stood within a dense group of other mature pines. It turned out to be a very interesting day, and one that called for careful planning, patience and excellent teamwork from start to finish.

The Challenge: A Tall Pine In A Crowded Setting

The pine was one of several tall, straight trees growing close together, with their crowns interlocking high above the ground.

Looking up from the base, the trunks seemed to stretch endlessly towards the sky, and it was clear from our initial assessment that this was not a straightforward job.

Some of the surrounding pines are similarly tall, and the space between them left very little room for error.

Why Felling In One Piece Was Not Possible

Felling the tree in one piece would have been far too risky.

With other trees standing so close, the pine would simply have become hung up in the neighbouring canopies as it fell, creating a dangerous situation and potentially damaging healthy trees.

Instead, we decided the only safe approach was to climb the tree and dismantle it in sections from the top down.

This technique (known as sectional dismantling) gives us complete control where every piece of timber lands.

Climbing & Dismantling

Working At Height

Our tree surgeon climbed the pine and worked methodically upwards, removing the branches as he went and leaving a clean, bare stem behind.

From the ground, he appeared as a tiny speck of orange near the top of the tree, which gives a real sense of the scale involved. Every cut was planned so that branches fell clear of the neighbouring trees.

Removing The Top

The climb continued until just six feet remained above him. At that height, he was secured to a trunk measuring only five inches in diameter, supported by his climbing rope, carabiners and positioning equipment.

Looking down, the view took in the surrounding treetops, the paths below and a member of our ground team far beneath, with parked vehicles barely visible through the branches. With everything in place, he cut the top and sent it down into the cleared area below.

Sectioning The Trunk: Aiming For The Drop Zone

With the top removed, the slow and steady work of taking down the main stem began.

Our tree surgeon cut the trunk into manageable sections, carefully aiming each one so it landed within the designated drop zone.

Precision was vital here, as a misjudged cut could have sent heavy timber into the surrounding trees or onto the paths nearby. Each section was also sized so that it would not damage the ground on impact.

Teamwork In The Tree & On The Ground

At these heights, every member of our team needs to be fully focused, whether they are working aloft or at the base of the tree.

Our ground team kept the drop zone clear, maintained constant communication with the tree surgeon above and managed each section once it landed.

Everyone wore full protective equipment, including helmets with mesh visors, ear defenders and high visibility clothing, and every person had an important role to play.

Clearing Up The Site

After a long climb, our tree surgeon was finally back on the ground and the clear up began. The large trunk sections were far too heavy to move whole, so we used a chainsaw to cut them into smaller discs that could be handled safely.

All of the smaller branches were then fed through our wood chipper, leaving the area clean and tidy.