Coulwood Pool Association
The historic Coulwood Pool Association had two Ash trees in the playground area of the clubhouse across from the pool. Both of the trees were being attacked by Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The most notable sign in this picture is the top 20-30% of the canopy having no leaves. The extent of the damage caused by the insect and the hazard presented to the playground area left little choice but to remove the trees.
Ash trees are particularly difficult to remove once they begin to decline/die. They tend to become brittle very quickly and break apart easily. Removing the larger of the two trees so close to the park sign and the playground equipment required additional care and skill to keep from damaging things. A friction brake is used here to help control the limb that is being lowered.
In the home stretch. Now to “fell the pole”. The rope attached to the top helps make sure the trunk falls in the right direction. Though the most important part falls to the person running the chainsaw.
The last step is to “leave it better than you found it”. We do our best to leave as little sign of the mess we made as possible.
The Coulwood neighborhood has a lot of trees, including a lot of Ash trees. The insect that was attacking these Ash trees (EAB) is present in other Ash trees in the surrounding area, throughout Charlotte, and beyond. Treatments can be done to proactively protect Ash trees from EAB and trees with light infestations may be savable, but unprotected Ash trees will undoubtably be killed when the bug finds them. We recommend being proactive in identifying any Ash trees you have and making a plan to protect or remove them. Our ISA Certified Arborists can help you make or implement that plan as soon as you’re ready.