Snapped out oak tree in Virginia Water

A resident from Virginia Water, Northern Surrey got in touch with our team at Tree Marshalls Ltd with concerns regarding their large oak tree which had suffered a snap out and needed immediate attention. This was a safety concern so needed to be approached with caution and planning.

As suspected, on inspection an oak limb had snapped out. This was caused by white-rot from within the trunk. The limb would have included some bark, water widow had clearly been sitting within this bark for a couple of years or more.

White-rot fungus attacks the tree whether it’s dead or living. This can cause the live tree to age prematurely and die. The fungus breaks down lignin and cellulose which commonly cause the wood to become soft, spongy or string-like, whilst appearing white or yellow. Professional arborists are able to diagnose this and treat as appropriate.

The team at Tree Marshalls had to be careful with this as the customer had a garden light under the stem. We supplied ply boards and laid them down alongside a pallet for protection.

It is extremely important that our clients’ homes and gardens are protected and no damage is caused. Certain techniques are used by our team to provide a safe and trusted service. Jobs can take much longer when there are obstacles below the tree. By working slow and steady we ensure there are no breakages.

We discussed the options and decided to lower the limb. The climber made his way up the tree to set a lowering system. This would then tie the branch up whilst the rest of the team began snedding the branches.

The team set up a pully system, spreading the weight of the branch that needed to be lowered across the tree. This is to ensure no stress was put on one branch when lowering. Once stripped, we could then cut the supporting branches and lower them carefully to the ground. We ensured that the lowering of branches was done in a safe and secure way.

We processed the branches through our wood chipper, which were then taken to be recycled into wood chip this is then used for biomass. Where possible we use our woodchip for charitable use. The team then cut up the stem. The customer wanted the stem cut up to use as firewood at the residence.

Seasoned logs can provide an economical and safe fuel source for your home. The current cost of living crisis affects us all, having an economical fuel source can provide your home with an affordable heating alternative.

 Customer Testimonial

“We have a 300 year old oak tree in our garden…..suddenly on a windless night a major branch cracked and fell  partially to the ground…..all 8 to 10 tons of it! Tree Marshalls stepped in at my request and very professionally lowered it to the ground and proceeded to cut it up into firewood. Tree Marshalls were a pleasure  to work with – fortunately the symmetry of the tree has been preserved.”