The Treehugger's Guide To Tree Removal
Posted on: 30 March 2015
Maybe you're a flower child of the '60s, or maybe you just have a deep respect for nature. No matter the reason, being a treehugger and having a tree that needs to be removed can be a lot like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Never fear, there are ways to satisfy your hippie heart, even as your tree passes from one life to the next. Here's how.
Recognize the Need
Trees are a big part of most ecosystems, but that doesn't mean they don't need tended when they're in your yard. You can tell it's time to remove a tree when:
- It presents a safety hazard. Dead trees tend to drop branches, and a large branch could do a lot of damage to people or property. When a large tree dies it is best to simply have it removed (by professionals, such as those from Pete & Ron's Tree Service.
- It's inviting pests. Dead trees make a lot of different creatures feel at home, including destructive ones like carpenter ants and termites.
Fortunately, even when a tree needs to be removed from your yard, there are ways to make sure the tree's death isn't in vain.
Green Tree Removal
Just because a tree needs to be removed from your yard doesn't mean all is lost. Here are some ways to reuse that old wood.
- Heating. If you don't have a wood stove, find someone who does and donate the wood to them.
- Art. Tree stumps can be turned into amazing chainsaw sculptures. If you're not the artistic type, ask around and find a local artist who might want the stump.
- Furniture. You can bring the outdoors in by asking your tree removal team to save you large sections of the trunk. Polishing up an old stump, adding a piece of glass and calling it a coffee table is a unique way to give your tree a second life.
The "reduce, reuse, recycle" creed doesn't only apply to retail sale items, and your tree's death can have a positive impact on other lives if you're willing to seek green alternatives.
Realizing that a tree needs to be removed because it presents real and present danger can be a tough moment for a treehugger. As with most everything in this world, though, trees can be given a new life. Deciding not to let your tree's death be in vain can breathe new life into your home and community, which can take some of the sting out of having to have a tree removed.
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