Lean or Not...

By Tim Ard, Forest Applications Training, Inc.

One of the toughest information areas for me to learn regarding falling trees was to understand lean. I find today in my workshops this is true for most people.

I used to try to look up the trunk and move around the base of the tree trying to see where the tree wants to go. Lean is noticeable with trees using this technique, but what about those that are not so lean descriptive?

Soren Eriksson finally got it through my head, after a couple of the first years training together, that trees lean 360 degrees and if you expect the tree to do and go where you want it to, you must pick the place to put it and discern the lean to that spot.

Lean is actually determined in relationship to the position of the face notch and controlling hinge. Realizing there are two leans that you have to recon with in relation to the hinge position, you must put yourself in two positions to take lean information. You should take the side lean from or in line with your proposed lay/target location. The second, forward or back lean, is taken from a position perpendicular or simply 90 degrees to the target. This gives you the knowledge of where the crowns weight leans in relationship to the fulcrum or pivot point in the proposed fall, the hinge....

If the center weight line of the crown, standing in line with your target or lay, falls to the side of the center line of the tree base, it has side lean in that direction. If the center weight of the crown, standing in a position 90 degrees to the target, falls toward the target side of your hinge position, it leans forward. If the line falls behind the hinge position, the tree leans back.

Yes, the tree can be affected by things like wind, intertwined or pushing limbs, etc., but if not effected by those things, gravity will prevail and the tree will fall to your informed leaning position if the notch and hinge perform correctly.

The Technique

To determine leans effectively I have found it beneficial to point. When standing in the target/lay position, take your right index finger and point to the farthest limb stretching to the right side of the trees crown. Hold that position. Now, point with your left index finger to the farthest limb out the left side. Hold that position. Find a visual point between those two finger points in the middle of the tree crown. I simply bring my two fingers equally to the center of the two points and that's the top position of my plumb line. I then follow a plumb straight line to the base of the tree. Where that line falls in relation to the trunk and hinge is the measured lean. From the perpendicular position do the same for the forward or back lean reading.

This can become a very quick and accurate way of taking true leans with very little practice. People ask, what if this or that... Like if the trunk leans the opposite way of the limbs? Again, it is the most accurate way of calculating leans. You will be amazed at how balance heavy the limbs are. The trunk most often will be following the lead of the limb weight. Even if it doesn't, the limbs will usually rule the lean reading. If you can't determine a definite lean, treat it as back lean and you will never be surprisingly stuck in the tree...

Remember, lean is only a portion of the needed information before attempting to fell a tree. Review information on our website at www.ForestApps.com and your chain saw operators instruction manual for other important things to consider before attempting a chainsaw task. Always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when running a chainsaw and working in a forest, wooded area and or storm clean up. If you don’t feel comfortable or can formulate a complete plan- contact a professional. Saving time or money on one or even more trees is not worth serious injury or death.

Practice this lean information technique a few times. You will find, as I and many others have, that lean never lies. It's either lean or it's not...

Tim Ard is President of Forest Applications Training, Inc., a leading training company for all chain saw safety and applications. For more information about chain saw training browse www.forestapps.com or website or contact us at info@ForestApps.com . Follow ForestApps on Twitter and Face Book as Forest Applications.

(C) Copyright 2011 Forest Applications Training, Inc.