Originally uploaded by fondofelves.
NationalGrid (which is the stupid new name of our electric company) mailed their customers recently. I received the letter yesterday which said they were going to send out a certified arborist to check trees on people's property that may pose a threat to their power lines; if it was determined the trees were weak, damaged, cracked, etc., they would either take the tree down and remove all debris or prune the limbs that overhang the wires, both at no charge.
Well, I'd been thinking about having this tree looked at, as you can see, it TOWERS over the house and I've...not exactly been worried...but concerned whether it was healthy or not.
So the guy came today, nice guy, and he said the wet crack between the two limbs (no laughing) worried him...he said that's a sign of [insert arborist word here]. Because the base of the tree is about 5 feet before it splits into two branches that I swear are probably 100 feet tall, it makes me think that if it did fail, my god, it would be a catastrophe. It is situated, as you can see, so that if one side fell, it would probably fall towards either side of the house, but is that a chance I want to take? When my father bought the house back in 1960, the next door neighbor offered him a bit of advice, which was: "first thing you should do is cut that tree down."
I love the tree, it totally shades the house in summer, and I HATE cutting a tree down, but...they are doing it for free and it's something I've been giving much thought to.
What do you think? Is it this tree's time?
My friend, MaryEllen's ("opinions for free") advice: "Oh absolutely have it taken down, don't take any chances (hey sell the firewood). You can plant another tree come spring and have the thrill of watching it grow."
MB? Need some firewood? Come and get it!
Comments
I do need wood! I'll talk to Hubby and we'll come down with the pick up when it's all down!!!
I love the fact that this old tree that provided shade for the house for all these years will now provide heat for someone else in the family!
It'll be sad to see it go but it'll be nicer to not worry if it'll fall on you sometime.
I don't mind ridding ugly nuisance trees, but I feel sad ridding nice ones. But if it is too sick and too dangerous, I guess it has to go. And it will keep some people warm now.
My dad had a tree fall on his house and the power lines leading to it two years ago and was without power, midwinter, for two weeks. Any tree that has even the POTENTIAL to do damage? You should be able to get rid of guilt free!!
