This photo shows a silver birch in a Halesowen front garden being dismantled in stages. Our climber sits roped to the trunk with a chainsaw, working down from the top while the pale, cut logs pile up below. Behind him is a row of semi-detached houses and the road, which is why the work was done piece by piece instead of in one go.
Taking a birch down in sections
A tree this close to houses, wires and a driveway cannot simply be felled and left to fall. The climber removes it in sections, starting at the top and cutting shorter lengths as he moves down the trunk, so each piece lands where we want it. This is work in progress, with the upper trunk still standing and cut logs scattered across the front garden.
Front-garden jobs and the clear-up
The picture also shows the practical side. Two large bulk bags stand by the drive, ready for the cut material, along with a cement mixer and a wheelbarrow, so other garden work appears to be going on too. Front gardens leave little room, so we plan where the timber goes and keep the road and neighbours in mind. Council checks for protection come first, and everything is cleared at the end.
