During the late 80s i was working in cumbria we were quite high on the fells it was 7-30 am and the mist was still hovering over the fells, the heat from the trees was creating low cloud and this gave the local deer population enough cover to venture out as we sat patiently for the sun to rise to start work, as the first rays of sun broke over the fells it was like lasers bouncing around the forest shimmering off the pine needles and dewdrops .
Then the silence was broken as our saws roared into life work had started,
the pines we were felling were in excess of 100ft ,glorious majestic trees reaching towards the heavens but don't forget these are a crop, grown for thier timber not to be mistaken for a naturlised forest,
when felling this size of tree care has to be taken you are talking of major tonnage and it has to go in the right direction, so i picked my tree assesed the direction and put in my "birds mouth" (directional cut) using a 4ft cutter bar on my saw which didnt quite reach the other side of the tree,
then once ready proceeded to cut straight from the back of the tree leaving a hinge so i can guide the tree slowly to its place of rest, then by instnct you feel the tree start to move, i step back and wait...............
then everything seems to go quiet the bird stop singing the wind seems to halt and ........CRACK !!!........ it starts to go the layers of the tree separate.... splitting ...tearing as it falls to the ground then an almighty whoosh as it makes contact with the ground , it is down , then begins the task of brashing off the lateral branches to leave a long log ready to be hauled out by tractor skyline or if your lucky horse, which would have to be cut smaller for the horse to handle, most of the timber these days goes for pallets or pulp (chipboard) and some may still even go for pit props depending on the timber, well then the process starts again a fabulous job not well paid but great satisfaction great pride in ones work,
the sad thing now most of the work is done by forwaders huge machines that can do 100 times more work than i ever could but can it care for its surroundings like i do be at one with nature, listen to what she is telling and showing you.
I THINK NOT
Russ
I can see it all in my minds eye