When people picture tree felling, they often imagine a single cut at the base and a tree crashing to the ground. In open woodland, that is sometimes how it is done. In a garden in Worcester, with houses, fences, sheds, greenhouses and power cables all around, it almost never is. Most garden trees are taken down piece by piece, using a technique called sectional felling or dismantling.
When does a tree need felling?
Felling is the last option, not the first. A tree may need to come down if it is:
- dead, dying or badly decayed
- unstable after storm damage or root failure
- infected with a disease such as ash dieback that makes it unsafe
- causing structural damage that cannot be managed another way
- simply the wrong tree in the wrong place, for example a fast growing conifer next to a house
Before any felling, we check whether the tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order or sits in a conservation area. If it does, permission or notice from the council is needed first. Our guide to Tree Preservation Orders explains how this works.
Step 1: Planning the job
Every felling job starts with an assessment of the tree and the site. We look at the tree’s condition, its lean and weight distribution, the space around it, access for equipment and where the timber can be safely lowered. This tells us whether the tree can be felled in one piece or needs to be dismantled.
Step 2: Setting up a safe work area
The area around the tree is cordoned off, and everyone involved knows their role. A ground team supports the climber, manages the ropes and clears the timber as it comes down. Where needed, we protect lawns, patios and plants with boards or mats.
Step 3: Sectional dismantling
A qualified climber ascends the tree on ropes and a harness, or works from a mobile elevated work platform. Starting at the top, branches are removed in manageable sections. Larger pieces are tied off and lowered on ropes using friction devices, so they come down in a controlled way rather than falling.
Once the crown has been removed, the trunk is taken down in sections too, working from the top down. This method lets us take down large trees in tight spaces without damaging the property around them.
On bigger or more awkward jobs, a crane can lift whole sections of the tree out over buildings. We describe one of these jobs in crane and cherry picker tree felling.
Step 4: Felling the final stem
When there is enough room, the last part of the trunk can be felled in one piece. This uses a precise sequence of cuts: a notch on the side facing the direction of fall, then a back cut that leaves a strip of wood called the hinge. The hinge steers the trunk as it falls, which is why felling direction can be controlled so accurately.
Step 5: The stump and the clear-up
After felling, the stump can be left low, ground out below the surface, or in some cases left taller as a wildlife habitat. All branches and timber are either chipped on site or removed. Wherever possible the material is reused, as we explain in repurposing felled trees.
Felling licences
For trees in private gardens, a Forestry Commission felling licence is not normally needed. Licences mainly apply to larger volumes of timber felled in woodland, fields and other land. If you are unsure, we can advise.
Tree felling in Worcester and Worcestershire
Faithful Tree Care carries out safe tree felling and sectional dismantling across Worcester, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. We use modern rigging techniques and the right equipment for each job. Read more about safe tree removal, or call 07828 786300 for a quote.
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