Spiritwood Lake Forestry Report

Tom, Michael and I arrived at the lake last Friday night to this sight:

Another 80-90 year-old ash tree had blown down in a storm, probably a couple nights earlier. It was the one behind the new cabin, the one remaining "swing tree" with the cross piece and chain still attached, about 40' tall. Fortunately, it fell eastward and landed parallel to the cabins. Unfortunately, it fell on the young bur oak tree and bent it over about halfway up.

So we got to work. Tom used the electric chain saw to cut off branches and we started dragging them to the burn pile. It was a calm evening, good for burning, and there was already some dry wood piled there. That burned right away and got the fire hot enough to burn green wood. We also had to cut some broken boxelder branches which the ash broke off as it fell.

As soon as enough branches were cleared away from the oak, Tom got on a ladder and straightened out the trunk. He attached a splint to keep it straight, and wrapped some cloth around the place where the bark was torn. We're hoping it will survive and thrive!

Just couldn't resist doing some planking.

After the branches were burned up and the trunk cut into logs for the woodstove, all that's left is the stump. And some wide open sunny space.