What to do with a big Ash

Now I like a big Ash as much as the next guy, but this one is really big. This Ash has 5 trunks split from a single base, some are as big as 48 inches in diameter. You can see it spans the width of my Quad and trailer combined. It is a shame to see such nice trees dieing. I am a bit afraid of this monster but I guess i could take down one trunk at a time or else let nature take its course and let them fall on their own. I would like to sell some of these trees, I have several that are huge, but my township makes it almost impossible to sell trees with their high fees and requirements. I guess I can use my Alaskan saw mill and make some planks, but this one tree could almost build a house. What would you do with it?

jeff_t said:

Island it dying? From here it looks pretty healthy. I would enjoy looking at it while I could. The only living ash trees I see are while traveling. Wait until the suckers start to shoot off and the bark peels. Then you'll feel okay putting it out of it's misery.

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If you look at the trunk you will see it is seriously losing its bark. There is a pile about 4 inches deep around the whole tree. Just a few leaves came out this year, I expect next year there will be none. I am really not anxious to cut it, perhaps I should have it entered in some record book before it is cut.

woodsmaster said:

Might be able to get a log out of it but most of it looks like firewood.

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Believe me you could get many logs out of it, those trunks are long and even though some flair out they are pretty straight climbing up a good 70 feet. I just got a 28 ton splitter, I am sure it will be interesting getting the rounds to the splitter. I am sure the Bobcat will have to get involved. No hurry, but I imagine this one could heat my house for a few years.

Scotty Overkill said:

If I were you, I would maybe take some of the upper trunks and mill them with your Alaskan. make some wood for knick-knacks and what not, because soon all of the ash is going to be gone, most likely in the next 5 to 8 years by the sounds of it, thanks to the Emerald Ash Borer. You will get a HUGE pile of firewood out of that tree, and ash is excellent firewood. It dries quickly when C/S/S, puts off really good BTU's, and it smells great burning. I have lots of it in my stacks, and consider it one of my staple woods. Keep us posted with pics of your progress on the trees and the lumber!

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You are right Scotty, Ash is going to be a historic artifact in our lifetimes. I have heard how good Ash is to burn, this is really going to be some of the first Ash I will be burning as I have been doing just about everything else (Oak, Maple, Cherry, Locust, Sassafrass, Beech).

zap said:

That will make for some nice fires GAWN, how much wood do you will get?

Around here a clump of trees like that would mean Basswood.

zap

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I really have no way to estimate zap, I am guessing 1 to 2 cords per trunk.

bogydave said:

Careful not to notch too deep on the ones leaning.
Gonna be some nice wood. Boards &/or fire wood.
You'll be making room for the other trees around it to grow.

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Dave, I know those leaners scare me a little about a possible barber chair, and that would be a hell of a chair. Also the close proximity to the other trunks does not give me a lot of comfort either. I am sure the 660 would tear it up. At least it looks like I can drop them one at a time without falling into the other trunks.

onetracker said:

hmmm....

are you sure that's an ash? as zap said, that is characterstic of basswood that's re-grow'd off an ancient stump.

OT

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I am afraid so, it has the characteristic bark and loss of bark from the ash borer. I have other ash trees with a single trunk, also dying, this was just a freak. If you look at the ground around the quad you will see how it is shedding the bark. If you look at the picture up in the tree you will see how the bark is a lighter color as the bark is being shed.

I just spoke the PA DCNR and a forest ranger is coming up to measure this tree. It actually might be one for the record books. Normande, my understanding is that the bugs hit the biggest trees first then move onto the smaller ones later, that may be why it appears some are OK. Ok for now.