How to Dispose of a Fallen Tree

Having trees on or around your property can be a huge asset. Not only are they beautiful but they can also provide natural protection from some elements. When one keels over on your property, however, you may not be thinking about how nice they are to have around. In the event that a tree does topple over onto your yard, Pro Star Rental wants to present you with options and potential steps you can take to get rid of it.

Establish Responsibility

Trees lining streets and in public areas in cities and suburbs are maintained by the city itself. If one of those trees falls on your property, call your local officials to figure out who is responsible for the removal. If you are not completely sure if a tree is on your property, public property, or your neighbor’s property, refer to your plat map or title survey. If it is determined that the tree is yours, here are some creative and practical ways you can handle it.

Lumber

Sometimes trees fall because they have rotted or died. Other times natural disasters like tornados or even earthquakes are the cause of their uprooting. If you are lucky enough to have a valuable tree like cherry or walnut in your yard and it happens to be in good condition, it may be worth considering taking it to a lumber mill. A lumber mill will be able to render your old tree into manageable pieces. Of course, hacking up and hauling a whole tree to a lumber mill can be a chore. As an alternative, you can rent a portable lumber mill or hire someone to come and perform the work on site. Either way, this is a great way to turn what may have started out as an inconvenience into something valuable for you.

Firewood

Trees that are not in good condition can still be valuable as firewood. If you rely on firewood to heat your home in the winter months, you are no doubt aware of how costly that can become. A fallen tree, however, can be a firewood jackpot. Even if you do not need firewood to stay warm, it is still nice to have around. Perhaps it will even motivate you to make an outdoor firepit for friends and family to enjoy. Or if you truly have no use for firewood, you can sell it. Even better, you can list your tree on Craigslist or NextDoor as free if someone is willing to come break it up and haul it away themselves. This way you can save yourself time, money and the hassle of doing the task yourself or hiring someone else to do it.

Landscaping

Another option for your tree is to create inviting outdoor furniture. A thick trunk can provide an excellent base to a gardening table. Or you can create a rustic bench or several stools out of the trunk and arrange them around a fire pit or other focal point.

Whatever you decide to do with your fallen tree, it is important that you always make sure to use the proper safety precautions when operating machinery. If you need to rent equipment like log splitters or woodchippers, we have them for you. When you come to pick them up, we will also guide you on how to safely operate them. If you are not sure if we have the tool you are looking for, give us a call and ask!

By Pro Star Rentals 2-20-2020