nice picture..... me thinks you definitely need permission to cut the branches...

That IS a big tree! I would definitely save up some money and get the tree specialists in. Do you own the tree, or is the land rented?

as an aside, the tree is starting to shed some leaves onto the pavement and road, do i need to clean this or is it the job of the street sweeper?

i checked GIS and it doesn't show up as protected, can you tell me the address of your protected tree? it would be nice to be able to double check that i'm am searching the right way for the status.

i own the land the tree is on, so as long as it is not protected, i can cut it.

Pray for a good stiff autumn breeze - job done.

If you end up trimming and cutting off branches, you would be expected to clean up the debris - but normal autumn leaf shedding - no way. Otherwise the streets would be full of everyone who has a tree in their garden running around with leaf blowers, like Mexicans in Beverly Hills.

If the winds don't materialise, and a bit of a pile builds up, then a token gesture, when the neighbours are watching could score some brownie points .... or do what I do, when no-one is looking, use a leaf blower to blow them further away down the street.

Another P.S. - having re-looked at your pic. don't consider the chain saw option - there doesn't appear to be a safe way for a non-tree surgeon to attempt this; ladder and bow saw is the best bet.

thanks. having seen how thin the branches are, i also concluded that the saw was the best option.

i also thought of a way i could do this alone. get a rope, tie a loop at one end and mini-loops throughout. throw rope over the "Y" of the tree loop first. thread the other end of rope and pull through loop. result: rope tied to tree with series of loops in it. then i'll climb the tree and attach myself to the loops as i go up, so that i can't fall from too high up. what could go wrong?

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Phil, please. Get a pro to do this. I have a cherry tree half this size in my garden that needs cutting back, I tried on my own with ropes and ladders but needed a stiff whisky after just 10 minutes trying.

I'll be getting the pros in in the spring now.

Seriously, don't attempt this on your own.

To tackle this on your own is sheer madness. I would suggest you ring up the Gemeinde and ask for the name of the local forester. That is what I have done and these people are tree experts, and the one who cut the trees hanging over my house brought ropes, climbed the tree and used a chainsaw. If the tree is protected, they can check with the Gemeinde.
The other option is the type of equipment used to change street lamp bulbs. A ladder only reaches so high.

The surrounding area had to be kept clear and the forester has orange cones and signs to keep anyone away from the area. I also stood nearby to make sure no one even attempted to get too close. We have a lot of children on our street.

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I have a chain-saw (and I live in an apartment ), you are welcome to borrow it, though I haven't started it in two years .

Tom

To cut branches?

Trees, yes, but not branches (at least here).

Tom

Give me 10 whiskeys and I'll do it for free!

Tom

Wow Phil .. you are a brave man ... to even think of cutting (trimming) a tree that size!

That looks, to me, like a common "forest" tree? Should not even be planted in a suburban area ... their growth rate is rather fast ... and tall!

Get a professional gardener to come cut it! If you have a wood burning stove/oven you can save costs by keeping the wood ... for a few years ......to dry out.

We have one of those too .... was a baby in a pot .... grandson`s tree "he growed" ... got planted in garden ... now reaching astronomical proportions, and we were warned, by a Schreiner, to keep it trimmed down to controlable proportions.

If you go to the cost of calling in a professional, enquire if it could be "stumped" and if it will sprout again - thereby saving future costs with trimming?

thanks all for your concern. i did get the contact details for the forester so can ask him.

obviously, it would be safer and easier to get someone else to do it, but this seems like one of those fun problem-solving tasks. so if i can figure out a safe way to do it myself, i would prefer to do this, otherwise, i'll ask the forester to sort it out.

Phil, to be honest, just reading this thread says you don't have the experience or tool skills to undertake this alone. Having grown up with trimming and cutting down trees, I have found out the hard way that sometimes what looks simple and easy, can pop up giving you a whack in the head and knock you out of the tree. Even professionals miscalculate. Watching the local forestry team culling and pruning the forest edge out the window last winter, how they had some narrow escapes and a few whippings by flying, flipping branches. Why take the risk?

Maybe you, with a couple of friends, can manage it with no problem, but I think it would be better to hand the problem to some pros. It shouldn't cost that much.

I'm a qualified tree surgeon. No, don't laugh, I am, got a certificate to prove it. It was 30 years ago though

Looking at the picture my question is what are you trying to achieve.

Removing the small branches indicated will have an effect for only 1 season.

I would suggest taking down the entire right-most pair of sub trunks plus a number of the smaller side branches on the main bole.

Phil - Listen to him. That is too big to tackle on your own. Honestly get the professionals in - you'll even be left with a tree that look good!!

We had a professional in to take down a big pine tree - 40 years old - it took him a whole day to do it!!

I would first ask the local forest rangers and get their ok. my landlady is planning to cut a few trees on her own peace of land. the whole street called the police before she even started... so she went to the office and managed to convence them, now she has a piece of paper to show her nosy neighbours.

from your pic I would say your neighbours will certainly notice, come morning!

also to be considered: in italy at least there is only one time of year in which you can do the cutting. I know october-november is ok, maybe september is still too early?

I would not bother asking for permission
Just cut it.
There is not a lot that can be done afterwards.

I thought you were cutting General Sherman; not just a poxy little branch.
Bow saw will do.
If you are worried of where it is going to go just attach a rope to the branch and get someone to pull it or attach the rope to another tree and tie with pressure.

Too many highly qualified t@ats with no common sense on this forum in my opinion........................LOL

It amazes me the worries and problems people create.
No wonder everything seems to take so long to do and cost so much.

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I do not have friends..........I have contingent liabilities

thanks, but i'll pass on that one, mr. chainsaw killer

Great Idea, what you save on not paying a tree surgeon you can quadruple and pay the communal fine.

Good second sentence Cash boy