A number of tree’s were vandalised in the Otway Ranges in an area called “Triplet Falls”. Sherbrooke Tree Service was engaged to safely remove the semi-mature mountain ash from the affected area with minimal damage to the under story below. In this short video, Graeme takes the top of the Eucalyptus regnans.
From the Blog
This climbing video is also on youtube in HD!
Graeme descends onto a dead and rotten tree so that he can safely work on it. After lopping out the head, the rest of the tree is blocked down.
When the tree we are removing is too dangerous to climb or be attached to normally, tree loppers will often gain access from another high point. This particular Mountain Ash was over the top of a high visitation walking track, and was one of several dead Eucalyptus regnans that needed to be removed for public safety.
The large dead Mountain Ash seen in this video was hanging precariously over the newly built Olinda Falls viewing platform. In particularly, three large limbs were pulling a lot of the trees weight.
At the base of the tree, the stump was so severely burnt out that only a small semi-circle shell around 80mm thick held the tree. This was extremely brittle and extended nearly 40′ above, where it formed back into a chimney.
Around 120′ from ground level was a large bee’s nest. The risk that was facing Parks Victoria meant something needed to be done to mitigate the hazard so as to allow visitors to use the platform as expected.
In this situation Graeme elected to pre-rig the three limbs, and then cut them with explosives. This had a number of safety advantages;
- No-one needed to be under the tree as it was shock loaded with the limb being cut-off
- Graeme didn’t need to be in the tree as it could potentially pull out of the ground, or snap off above him as the tree was loaded up by the branches
- The limbs were so long that traversing out and lopping was not an option given the tree’s condition
- Long term exposure at 80′ was likely to attract unwanted attention from the Bee’s nest
The video shows one limb being severed with explosives, and then being caught on rope.
Took a few happy snaps of the recent Tahune Airwalk work. Enjoy!
In the main entrance to Sherbrooke Forest, there was a large Eucalyptus regnans which had three 120′ long branches overhanging the car parking area. Graeme removed these by lopping each and catching it onto itself in order to protect the facilities below. To do this safely, Graeme needed to be able to egress from the departing limb and stay clear of the spar. The video shown is the first of three.