Cut Off?

On occasion these will block the road and prevent access to and from the forest.

If you need to pass, either for work, or more urgently to go to and from a house served by the access road, it can leave you cut off.

However urgent the need for access is, a windblown tree presents significant risk and requires a specifically trained and experienced operator to be able to understand the risks and deal with the tree safely.

The picture shows a tree that had been blown across the road and cut by an unknown person. The photo shows how the base of the tree and root plate has sprung back up to a standing position.

This would have probably sprung with force once the stem was cut through and demonstrates the tension there would have been in the stem.

Remember:

• Do NOT take it upon yourself to clear windblown trees from forest paths/ roads.
• Always mechanise the clearance of windblown wherever possible.
• Chainsaw clearance of windblown trees must only be undertaken if mechanism isn’t possible and then only be competent operatives, who have had relevant training and experience.
• Windblown trees have variable tension and forces throughout and can be unpredictable in how they will react to being cut.