This photo from a Birmingham garden shows a mature oak with a climber working out along one of its big limbs, high above a block-built garage. The tree was taken down in sections, which is the usual way when a tree stands close to buildings. Cut branches are already collecting on the ground below.
Dismantling a tree next to a building
A large oak next to a garage and a neighbour's fence cannot be felled in one piece. The climber works from the outside in, cutting the limbs one at a time and controlling each as it comes down, then takes the trunk in sections. Here a pale cut face is visible on the main fork, which shows that the cutting has already begun. This is a single photo of work in progress.
What to expect on the ground
Below the tree you can see a heap of brash and leafy cuttings, with a blue barrel and fencing beyond. A job like this produces a lot of timber and green waste, so the crew needs room to stack it and a clear route to carry it out. Before any cutting starts, the council can tell you whether the tree has a protection order.
