Every now and then a customer questions how a tree or some of its limbs are going to be removed, each time the answer is different but it always boils down to taking big pieces and making little pieces out of them. In some cases, trees can be cut into pieces using a bucket truck or climbing allowing them to fall freely to the ground. In other situations typically found in urban forestry, it is necessary to rope or rig pieces of the tree to the ground in a safe and controlled manor.
The art of Arborist rigging has an extensive history and is constantly innovating. When done properly limbs can actually be lifted up and away from its position before coming to the anchor point and lowered to the ground. The picture above shows some cottonwood limbs that were overhanging a single phase primary and neutral wire, these limbs were tip tied and pulled back to a higher anchor point which pulled them up and away from the power lines before being lowered.
There are numerous rigging techniques that can be applied to manage the trimming or removal of trees regardless of the type of obstacles or targets that need to be negotiated. There are many different Arborist rigging tools which have been developed to defend the health of trees used in rigging such as blocks, slings, nylon straps, port o wraps, cambium savers and many others. It is important to hire a Certified Arborist familiar with contemporary rigging to ensure that there is no damage done to the trees used in rigging, or the surrounding property.
