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Ash removal or save attempt, my dilemma in Ohio last month
Got called to look at a big ash in a backyard near Dayton, probably 30 inches across at the base. Owner wanted to know if we could try treating it for EAB, but it already had about 40 percent crown dieback and bark peeling. I told him honestly that treatment might buy a couple seasons at best, but taking it down now would be way safer and cheaper than a partial failure later. He picked removal, and we did it in one day with a 60 foot crane. Has anyone else had to push back on clients who really don't want to lose a tree like that?
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jakeb2520d ago
The way you handled that is the right call, but I get why it feels bad. People get attached to big trees like they're family, and telling them it's done is a hard conversation. What I've started doing is offering to take a cutting or keep some of the wood for them, maybe a slab for a table or even just a few chunks for firewood. That way they still get to keep a piece of it around, and it makes the removal feel less like a total loss.
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paulw8719d ago
Man, that's a good idea. I did the same thing last year with a big oak that had to come down. The owner was gutted, so I cut a few decent slabs from the trunk and let them dry in my shed. Gave her two pieces for a coffee table and she was way happier about the whole thing. Plus I kept a chunk for myself to split for firewood, so it wasn't a total waste for anyone.
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