Living Among Large Trees ?

[savageactor7]

Up here I recommend folks to clear out the trees so the house gets a good morning sun. That reduces and or eliminates roof/siding mold. Down there I dunno, seems to me shade has precedence in that hot environment.

The only certain advice I have to offer is to remove the Poplars. They're a shallow rooted soft wood tree that will be the first to fail in the wind.

We also cut for a wooded lot. DEC offered this advice for the order of cutting; cut the largest trees, the dead trees, trees with more than 1 trunk...hope that helps.

Best of luck on building the new house.

 

[Redbug]

I also lean towards removing any trees than can fall over and reach the house. I did that with mine and still feel good about it. You can always plant smaller more manageable trees, (dogwoods, etc), near the house...after the house is built. After one good ice storm the way you view those trees will forever change.

 

[Domush]

Well, I guess I'll be the dissenting opinion in here. I have nearby trees and it helps a ton with cooling costs. I couldn't imagine having the sun blast my house all summer long. As an example, my next door neighbor, who did clear more trees, pays nearly triple what I pay to cool my house, and my house leaks like a sieve!

My house was also a wooded clearing and the void created by the clearing was barely impacted at all by the remaining trees. Certainly not enough to make them side heavy. I trim the branches which directly hang over my house anyway, as squirrels use them for easy access to my eaves.

Just use some common sense in clearing.. Take down anything leaning towards the house before you build and trim any branches which touch to prevent rot.

It is basic logic to note a tree within falling distance may fall down, may hit your house, but to be paranoid and clear cut is right up there with wearing a helmet to take a walk. Everyone knows of someone who had a tree hit a house they once owned at one point in their life. They also know of millions of people who haven't ever.

Like you said, those trees are over a hundred years old.. And are still standing after one hundred years of storms you are probably happy you weren't around to experience.

The worst I imagine you'll experience with middle aged trees are cool summer days, warmer winter days and the super occasional thud of a 2" or smaller branch hitting the roof, waking you up. A branch which does no damage beyond interrupting your peaceful slumber.

Short version: when you ask a military commander's opinion, it will revolve around the few who die, not the billions who live.

Don't forget to wear your helmet while considering it.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using TractorByNet

 

[North West Farmer]

In nearly all situations there are many varying opinions. After being an emergency responder there seems to be two schools of thought.

I have an opportunity and the ability to eliminate a potential hazard that might seriously injure or kill me or my loved ones, thus I will take the action needed, remove the potentially deadly hazards and replace them with something that will still help keep me comfortable and keep living costs low.

Or

I know it can happen, but I believe it will most likely happen to someone else and their loved ones. The money I save and my comfort are more important than me and my family.

Unfortunately, I have witnessed many folks with their head in their hands sobbing a familiar phrase such as, "If I had only done that my loved ones would not have been hurt or killed".

I definitely is not my place to tell somebody else how to live their lives or what risks to take, but after seeing this type of thing occur time and time again, I believe I should share my experiences in an effort to help inform my forum friends regarding the potential dangers of "living among large trees".

Evaluate your tree hazard situation and live safe long lives.

Nick, North West Farmer

 

[tractchores]

One thing to think about is what the damage will be if the tree falls. I know some folks are talking about gigantic trees that penetrate multiple floors in a structure, I don't think those are the size trees the OP is talking about. I've had multiple trees fall on a house I had, one was a huge old oak that broke at the base and landed diagonally across the house hitting about 3/4 up the tree (so lots of space to pick up speed). It was like a bomb went off in the house and shattered a hanging light fixture, the roof had some holes, but didn't cave in and it was a quick insurance repair. The same house took a huge 3 - 4' across rock maple straight on (in between two roof joists) and it did come through the attic, but not into the living space (I was asleep right under where it hit). In my current house I had a bit of a mishap felling a tree (50 or 60' birch, 2' across) and it went down on my garage. It poked a few holes, but otherwise the building was undamaged. Living in a clear-cut can be ok, but there's no need for it if you keep tabs on the trees and trim them so the branches won't fall directly on the roof.

 

[hosspuller]

I live among 7 large oak trees. (30 inches + at chest high) BUT they were planted after the house was built. They've been alive 30 - 40 years. Clearing trees for a home site, as said before leaves weakly rooted perimeter growth.

I don't recommend getting any tree topped. That is asking for trouble later. Two large maples that were topped close to thehouse cost big bucks to have removed. Topping caused their center to rot. A proper arborist will "Thin or reduce the canopy"

 

[Domush]

In my current house I had a bit of a mishap felling a tree (50 or 60' birch, 2' across) and it went down on my garage.

Oh my word! That had to be the worst feeling ever watching that thing fall the wrong direction! My stomach flipped over just reading that sentence. I have that worry every time I fell a tree near.. anything of note.

 

[tractchores]

Oh my word! That had to be the worst feeling ever watching that thing fall the wrong direction! My stomach flipped over just reading that sentence. I have that worry every time I fell a tree near.. anything of note.

Yeah, it was quite the event. The tree was dying so I wanted to remove it before it fell and it turned out that half of it was entirely hollow, which totally changed the weight distribution, it was impossible to see from the ground until it started to bind the saw. I spent a good hour trying to pull it the right way or to otherwise get it down safely when there was 1" left of it. It was highly dangerous and I just couldn't get the rope up high enough and wasn't willing to risk putting a ladder on it for a big chain. People (in-laws) were coming over and it was just too dangerous to leave with folks around so I bit the bullet and cut the last inch so at least it'd be down... figured it was better to have some roof damage than to get someone killed. Luckily the damage was minor and a couple shingles later the garage was as good as new again! (Though my wife saw me and reminds me of it every time I cut a tree now!)

 

[s219]

Like you said, those trees are over a hundred years old.. And are still standing after one hundred years of storms you are probably happy you weren't around to experience.

That's the attitude I take with most of the trees on my new property that are well away from any construction/clearing activity. But if the activity extends near or into the tree's drip line, or requires removing other trees in the area that had mingled roots or served as a wind break, then I'd definitely consider taking it out. It doesn't take more than a few hours of man-made clearing or construction activity to compromise trees of any age!

 

[arrow]

Good advice S219. Allow me to answer your original question. Yes, the trees will fill in but only a bit. It will take a very long time over a 15-30 year period depending on soil nutrients and there is something else that prevents a tree from filling in too much and that is its height. Your trees have reached maturity and are at a height to substantiate its crown size. A tree knows when to stop growing and height of a tree corresponds to its crown spread. I have seen cleared areas of forest with one to five trees left standing and they differ very little in 15years. Your trees will get fatter trunk wise before you need to worry about crown filling. Actually the most treacherous time is right now. Before, you had a bunch that tended to protect the other trees from wind effect along with what is known as root interlock. Now you have thinned that bunch from wind effects and diminished interlock so you have relatively tall skinny trees that are not as protected. They will become less prone to topple with time as opposed to right now.