Cutting down a tree is not easy or cheap. However, you can turn the loss of a tree into the gain of something wonderful. Learn how using wood from tree removal can have a positive impact, under the right circumstances.

Why Tree Removal is Necessary

Removing a tree from your yard should be the last resort after all other options are considered. Not only is it a complicated process, especially if a tree is already a hazard, but it can be a costly one. Tack on more cost if you try to do it yourself and end up doing more damage than originally planned.

However, sometimes tree removal is necessary. Some of the reasons include:

• Weakened from storm damage or disease
• Dead or dying
• Poses threat to property or structures

If you’re considering tree removal, you should consult with a tree care specialist to determine whether anything else can be done to try and save the tree. If it’s deemed helpless, have the pros give you an estimate for taking it down. They’re also going to want to know what to do with the tree after it’s removed. Here’s where your other options come in.

What You Shouldn’t Keep

Depending on the reason for tree removal, there are certain times when you don’t want to reuse any part of the tree. If the tree was taken down because of disease or pest infestation, naturally you want to carefully get rid of those pieces so these issues don’t spread to other plants in your yard. Contact Elite Tree Care to discuss options for any type of tree removal.

Using Wood from Tree Removal

Sometimes tree companies will simply cut a tree down and haul it away, no questions asked. So, if you’d like them to do something special with the branches, trunk, or stump, you need to let them know ahead of time.

There are many ways to upcycle pieces of the tree. If it was sentimental in any way, keep a piece of it intact and give it a new purpose. Any part of the tree can be recycled or used for a nature-inspired project. Here are some ideas for how to give the tree a new mission.

Habitats. Removing a tree could mean displacing wildlife from their home. Squirrels, birds, and other wildlife rely on trees for food and shelter. Use the wood to build birdhouses or simply keep a log at the edge of wooded property to give back to nature.

Firewood. Cutting down a large tree can give you enough firewood to last a season, and then some. The tree removal company will charge extra for chopping the wood for you, but you can simply ask them to leave it in more manageable pieces and chop it yourself. It will take about a year to dry out enough to use in an outdoor pit, indoor fireplace, or grill.

Landscape. Use larger logs and branches to mark paths and terrace slopes. You can also chip the branches into mulch for gardens.

Furniture. Whether you repurpose a stump into a stool or plane wood from a log and build a bench, you can incorporate natural elements into your indoor or outdoor decor. The quality of the furniture will depend on the type of tree you have.

Decor. Think on a smaller scale and turn smaller branches into coasters, candleholders, and other carved collectibles. Use leaves and twigs for craft projects to use indoors and out. Let your imagination be your guide.

Take a Tree, Give a Tree

Whenever you remove a tree from your property, consider planting another one. Make sure it’s in a spot that won’t become a hazard once the tree is fully grown. Trees add value to your property in many ways, whether in the ground or repurposed somewhere else.