Tree Felling – How to Safely Fell a Tree

Felling trees is one of the most hazardous forestry activities and requires the skills, knowledge and experience of a professional feller. If the work is not done correctly it can result in serious injury or death to the feller and others who may be present. However, by using the correct working techniques and planning the forestry operation carefully, the risk can be greatly reduced.

Before you start felling a tree, examine the land on which it will fall and the surrounding vegetation and terrain. Look at the position of any major obstacles, such as overhead power lines and roads. If possible, it is a good idea to mark the area with warning signs for your own safety and that of passers by.

In the most common method of felling, the first step is to make a cut that resembles a V-shaped notch on the side of the trunk facing the direction in which it is intended to fall. This notch creates a mechanical feature that, along with the back cut, encourages the tree to fall in the desired direction. The notch also positions the static load of the tree such that, once it starts to fall, the sawyer can use the back cut and remaining hinge to control the direction in which the tree falls.

Next, the professional will make a second cut that is perpendicular to the face cut and cuts down to within two inches of the point at which the wedge of wood formed by the face cut was removed. This second cut is called the ‘felling cut’ and provides another mechanical feature that allows the sawyer to more reliably control the direction in which the tree falls.

It is important to note that, although it is possible to force a tree to fall in a direction different to its natural one, this comes at a considerable cost of increased risk to the feller and the surrounding vegetation and landscape. It is a principle of responsible forestry that the most desirable way to fell a tree is in its natural direction.

When a tree is felled in its natural direction, it helps to rebalance the forest ecosystem by thinning overcrowded forests that are competing for sunlight, water and nutrients. This contributes to sustainable forestry practices that promote biodiversity, a healthy environment and more sustainable forest production for the future.

When it is necessary to fell a tree for an urgent reason, such as as a result of damage caused by storms or other factors, the work must be undertaken carefully and only in areas where no major obstacles exist. When this is the case, the feller must ensure that people are well clear of the area where he or she is working. In general, it is a good idea to keep people at least twice the distance of tree height away from the felling site. This should be enough to prevent people getting too close to the axe or saw when it is in use and protect them from falling debris.

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