Tree Removal and Felling

Sometimes a tree has to go. It might be dead or dying, leaning toward the house after a Canterbury blow, lifting paths and driveways with its roots, or simply in the wrong place for the way you want to use your section. Whatever the reason, removal is the one tree job where there are no second chances — it has to be planned and executed properly.

Straightforward felling is possible on open ground, where a tree can be brought down in one piece with the right scarf, back cut and wedges. But most removals in Christchurch suburbs don't have that luxury. Houses, fences, sheds, gardens and neighbouring properties all sit within falling distance, so the tree comes down in controlled sections instead.

Sectional dismantling is slower, technical work. A climber works down from the top, cutting manageable pieces and lowering them on ropes while the ground crew keeps the drop zone clear and the site tidy. It looks almost easy when it's done well — which is exactly the point. Rigging, friction devices and clear communication between climber and ground crew are what keep people and property safe.

Dead trees deserve special respect. Dead wood is brittle and unpredictable, and climbing a dead tree is one of the most dangerous things an arborist can do. Each dead removal gets its own assessment, and where climbing isn't safe the work is done from the ground or with machinery.

Before any removal we talk through the practicalities with you: where the wood goes, whether the stump stays or gets ground out, what happens to neighbouring plants, and how access works for getting gear in and timber out. Narrow Christchurch driveways and shared rights-of-way are common, and we plan around them rather than discovering problems on the day.

Once the tree is down, the site is cleared properly — chips, sawdust, small rakings and all. And if you were fond of the tree, we're happy to suggest a replacement species that suits the spot and the local conditions better than what came out.

Questions we hear a lot

Can any tree be felled straight to the ground?

Only where there is clear space. On most Christchurch sections trees have to come down in pieces, with each section lowered on ropes so nothing touches fences, roofs or gardens.

What happens to the wood and branches?

Branches are chipped and removed, and trunk wood can be cut into firewood rings for you to keep or taken away. The choice is yours — just let us know before we start.