I have some dead oaks (still standing) but no growth and very little branches. The stumps look okay but the upper portion of the trees are dead and rotting. Are these worth cutting down for firewood? They are in my woods which are wetlands.
Dead trees for firewood?
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That's how I get a lot of mine.
I never see oak in the swamp, though. Just around the edges.
You don't often know until you fell it whether it is hollow inside from termites ants and borers.
If it's solid and hard you've got wood.
Old oaks constantly drop dead spongy branches that are worthless, but the rest may be fine.
I never see oak in the swamp, though. Just around the edges.
You don't often know until you fell it whether it is hollow inside from termites ants and borers.
If it's solid and hard you've got wood.
Old oaks constantly drop dead spongy branches that are worthless, but the rest may be fine.
Yeah, definetly cut it down! It's gonna rot away in the woods otherwise. My father has about 10 acres of just woodland and I dont think he's ever cut down a living tree just for wood burning. He likes to take out all the fallen or ready to die ones. Just remember the rotted branches might not be worth the effort.
Yeah, these things really don't have much of a top at all. They no longer really have branches either. It could be the maybe 1/2 the stump is worthwhile. The oaks are on the outer edge of the swamp but I think the water pattern changed in the last 20 years. Maybe from housing.
If its not too spongy - it will dry out and be fine for burning..... just be careful dropping those dead trees! They can be a little bit of a challenge if they are rotten down at the trunk, and the dead upper branches have a habit of falling before the tree hits the ground.
Yeah cocey2002 if you have a wood lot dead trees are priority #1 imo standing dead trees are the best firewood and one of the few you can harvest in the winter if you're in a pinch. Then you want to harvest the bigger trees, next the split or double trunk trees. That way you're making room for new growth
Hi cocey,
Be careful. I am not completely familiar with the PA laws on wetlands, but federally they are protected and you are not allowed to 'interfere' with them. This means that you cannot drive your truck or ATV in wetlands, which limits your ability to move the rounds/splits. Please check your local laws or call your local PA DEP office for info.
If you get caught, the fines are severe. They don't make any jokes about people that destroy wetlands. I don't want to see you in jail or bankrupt.
carpniels
PS. This is my professional opinion. I deal with wetlands a lot and the regs are no joke.
Be careful. I am not completely familiar with the PA laws on wetlands, but federally they are protected and you are not allowed to 'interfere' with them. This means that you cannot drive your truck or ATV in wetlands, which limits your ability to move the rounds/splits. Please check your local laws or call your local PA DEP office for info.
If you get caught, the fines are severe. They don't make any jokes about people that destroy wetlands. I don't want to see you in jail or bankrupt.
carpniels
PS. This is my professional opinion. I deal with wetlands a lot and the regs are no joke.
Thanks for the advice. My area is not labeled as wetlands but it is very wet lands. Before I purchcased this lot- old farm- they logged the crap out of it and left very few worthwhile trees. The oaks are very few and dying, beach grow well, mostly swamp maple. The oaks that are left are dying/dead.
I would cut that wood.
Standing dead trees, especially oak are great.
I cut down standing dead oak on an Island behind my house. They have been standing for years and have no bark.
Man they burn awesome!
Standing dead trees, especially oak are great.
I cut down standing dead oak on an Island behind my house. They have been standing for years and have no bark.
Man they burn awesome!
cocey, BEWARE
! Please take this seriously.
You have a great idea of cutting those dead oaks and no doubt they will provide you with much good heat. However, as you know, oaks have a tendency of having limbs die way up there. Dead limbs on trees, even little 2" limbs are widow makers.
The very first thing I do when approaching a tree to fell it is to look up for dead or dying limbs. Those are the things that will do a feller the most harm. People tend to think it is the falling tree but that is not so. It is the dead limbs up top. You must watch them before cutting and if you are sure none will fall on your noggin, then cut. Then get out of the way! As the tree falls, it may hit other trees and those dead limbs can come off and can be flung like out of a slingshot.
Even as careful as I am, I got hit once already this year and was lucky. I cut a dead maple that had been dead for quite some time. I had waited until some dead limbs had fell after a good wind blow and thought it safe finally to cut. It was. However, I got careless and did not pay as much attention as I should have. One dead limb got caught in another tree and I missed it. That tree was waving a bit and the limb came loose and came right at me. I got a nice bruise and a wake up call. It could have been worse. Even though I've cut wood and felled trees (even as a logger) for many, many moons, I still have to be on my toes like everyone should. Be careful out there.
! Please take this seriously.You have a great idea of cutting those dead oaks and no doubt they will provide you with much good heat. However, as you know, oaks have a tendency of having limbs die way up there. Dead limbs on trees, even little 2" limbs are widow makers.
The very first thing I do when approaching a tree to fell it is to look up for dead or dying limbs. Those are the things that will do a feller the most harm. People tend to think it is the falling tree but that is not so. It is the dead limbs up top. You must watch them before cutting and if you are sure none will fall on your noggin, then cut. Then get out of the way! As the tree falls, it may hit other trees and those dead limbs can come off and can be flung like out of a slingshot.
Even as careful as I am, I got hit once already this year and was lucky. I cut a dead maple that had been dead for quite some time. I had waited until some dead limbs had fell after a good wind blow and thought it safe finally to cut. It was. However, I got careless and did not pay as much attention as I should have. One dead limb got caught in another tree and I missed it. That tree was waving a bit and the limb came loose and came right at me. I got a nice bruise and a wake up call. It could have been worse. Even though I've cut wood and felled trees (even as a logger) for many, many moons, I still have to be on my toes like everyone should. Be careful out there.
Thanks for the warning. The tree doesn't have any limbs left but it (the stump) looks rotten at the top. I am a little concerned about the tree breaking in half as I cut it down. I'll get my neighbor to take a look for me- he is very experienced in cutting. Thanks again.
Backwoods Savage said:cocey, BEWARE
You have a great idea of cutting those dead oaks and no doubt they will provide you with much good heat. However, as you know, oaks have a tendency of having limbs die way up there. Dead limbs on trees, even little 2" limbs are widow makers.
The very first thing I do when approaching a tree to fell it is to look up for dead or dying limbs. Those are the things that will do a feller the most harm. People tend to think it is the falling tree but that is not so. It is the dead limbs up top. You must watch them before cutting and if you are sure none will fall on your noggin, then cut. Then get out of the way! As the tree falls, it may hit other trees and those dead limbs can come off and can be flung like out of a slingshot.
Even as careful as I am, I got hit once already this year and was lucky. I cut a dead maple that had been dead for quite some time. I had waited until some dead limbs had fell after a good wind blow and thought it safe finally to cut. It was. However, I got careless and did not pay as much attention as I should have. One dead limb got caught in another tree and I missed it. That tree was waving a bit and the limb came loose and came right at me. I got a nice bruise and a wake up call. It could have been worse. Even though I've cut wood and felled trees (even as a logger) for many, many moons, I still have to be on my toes like everyone should. Be careful out there.
Excellent advice.
I've seen 3" or 4" pine branches break off and drive themselves 12" into the ground. Strangely that happens very often on calm days after a heavy wind/rain storm. A hard hat helps but not when the big ones come down. Best to be aware and heed the slingshot warning.
I would check with an arborist on approach, maybe you should also get an opinion from arboristsite.com . . some of those dudes have 10k plus posts so if nothing else they are very dedicated
One very safe approach I watched very recently is an open face notch, a plunge cut, then a back cut. Then OUT of the strike zone, arborists pulled the tree over with steady pull on comealong.
One very safe approach I watched very recently is an open face notch, a plunge cut, then a back cut. Then OUT of the strike zone, arborists pulled the tree over with steady pull on comealong.
I own the land so I cheat If it is dead I cut it about 3/4 or a little more then I go home and let gravity and wind fell it the rest of the way while I am at the house I go back and check on them about every couple days and cut them up when they are on the ground, I do not fell dead trees, I know too many people who got to big for their britches and paid for it felling dead trees.
Well, I have finally gotten around to cutting this dead oak down. It wasn't a problem at all. The top was still pretty decent shape. What I have cut so far looks great. The out 1/2 to 1 inch near the bark is rotting though. The center is solid so I think I'm in pretty great shape. Between the oak and the swamp maple I've cut this year it should last next season. At what point is a dead tree not worth the effort. I am guessing a rotting center? Thanks
If the whole tree is punky I suppose you could save it for an outdoor campfire. I have swamp maple too and over the years have found a few that are punky in the center. the splitting process cleans 'em out but I always thought that was strange.
I usually fall the standing dead ones in the early spring (all softwoods),split them and then they go to the front of the woodshed for burning 7 months later. If you buck and split them right away,they seem to dry quicker than some of the stuff you buy. Having said that, I really can`t speak to the hardwoods.
Crazy Dan, with all due respect, that sounds crazy! I hope you don't have any loved ones, pets, livestock or trespassers (you would be liable even for them if it was an unnecessarily created hazard) nearby. Go ahead and put them on the ground if you're that close. I don't claim to be a pro by any stretch, but I have dropped many trees over the years and would not dream of leaving a cut tree standing. On the rare occasion when I have hung one tree in another, I will go out of my way (via additional cuts, pulling free via chain, etc) to make sure that tree gets to the ground, or at least is not a hazard, before I leave. Sure you have to be careful when dropping standing timber, but with proper techniques and precautions it should be no more dangerous than a trip to the grocery store.
a rotting center?
No, even those can be burned sometimes. I recently scrounged some maple, about 24" diameter. The pieces were like big donuts: the heartwood was completely rotted into soft brown peatmoss. After knocking that out, I was left with big rings of sapwood, about 3-4" thick. They split up into a fair amount of decent wood.
No, even those can be burned sometimes. I recently scrounged some maple, about 24" diameter. The pieces were like big donuts: the heartwood was completely rotted into soft brown peatmoss. After knocking that out, I was left with big rings of sapwood, about 3-4" thick. They split up into a fair amount of decent wood.
BotetourtSteve said:
Don't come over to Northern Virginia on a windy night. I watch the wind forecast and notch the big dead ones in late afternoon when the high wind is coming in that night.
I too have dropped trees for many years but I will now never go to a grocery store in Western Virginia. :gulp:
I'm near Jefferson city
I have yet to see a cow under a fallen tree or a dog for that matter.
I have how ever seen people tring to fell dead trees get all kinds of messed up. So my way might be crazy to you, but you have to rember felling dead trees is risky and dangerous no matter which way you do it. I have done it for years and have not ever once been hurt or hurt anybody else by doing it this way(knock on wood) . Like every thing else in life a little common sence goes a long way. The last thing I will add is their is more than 1 way to skin a cat.
I have yet to see a cow under a fallen tree or a dog for that matter.
I have how ever seen people tring to fell dead trees get all kinds of messed up. So my way might be crazy to you, but you have to rember felling dead trees is risky and dangerous no matter which way you do it. I have done it for years and have not ever once been hurt or hurt anybody else by doing it this way(knock on wood) . Like every thing else in life a little common sence goes a long way. The last thing I will add is their is more than 1 way to skin a cat.
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