Tree Lopping, Removal, Pruning and Mulching in the Dandenong Ranges

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.

On Sherbrooke Tree Services second visit to the Tahune Airwalk in Tasmania’s south-west, we removed a large dead Eucalyptus regnans from alongside the airwalk. There were a number of difficulties in climbing this tree, as it was so dead there was very little holding the tree up. The whole stem was oscillating as Graeme spur climbed it, and since there were no high points anywhere near the tree, access was very slow.

In the first video, the location of Tahune and some of the access difficulties are shown. Even with the top of the tree gone the stem still stood approximately 30m over the top of the 30m high platform.
Graeme lead climbed the trunk using ratchet straps. These provided a dual purpose; they held the tree from falling apart, and allowed Graeme to clip his climbing through.

In the second video, the tree is being blocked down. Scott Sharpe uses a pulley system to rig the trunk sections over as Graeme cut them. During this video, the stabilising lines can be clearly seen. These stabilising lines were pre tensioned to 1000kg, and were offset 90 degrees from each other.

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.