The tree that would not fall (insurance, cost, dangerous)

[fisheye]

I have been watching a dead ash tree because I felt that it would have fallen three months ago. It has a crack that has slowly become wider in the last three months. Nature is holding it up because it has a large grapevine that does not want it to fall tangled in the top of this tree. But I think it is fascinating and also extremely dangerous since it can fall at any time.

[jtab4994]

It will fall eventually. The only question is whether it will make a sound if you're not there to witness it.

BTW it looks like you have a lot of Japanese barberry in the middle foreground. That's an invasive species that forces deer to search for other food sources (they won't eat it), not to mention harboring ticks, and which I have begun eradicating on my property. https://www.centredaily.com/news/nat...255900126.html

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

It will fall eventually. The only question is whether it will make a sound if you're not there to witness it.

BTW it looks like you have a lot of Japanese barberry in the middle foreground. That's an invasive species that forces deer to search for other food sources (they won't eat it), not to mention harboring ticks, and which I have begun eradicating on my property. https://www.centredaily.com/news/nat...255900126.html

That is not my property otherwise those barberries would be gone! My little Kubota loves to pick on barberries. By the way, deer will eat barberries, there is not too much they will not eat. It is just that they do not eat enough of them!

That picture I took from a road about a quarter mile from my house. If the tree would fall towards the road it will take out the light line. But it is hard to say how it will fall because that crack could snap or the grapevine could affect the fall. When I first noticed it the crack was about two inches wide and I thought that it would fall anytime - but that was three months ago. Now the crack is five to six inches wide and I still feel it should go at any second. But it would not surprise me if I were talking about it a month from now!

[fisheye]

It finally fell after about three and a half months!

[jtab4994]

But did it make a sound!?

[PAhippo]

Originally Posted by fisheye

It finally fell after about three and a half months!

I was wondering about that, fisheye.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by PAhippo

I was wondering about that, fisheye.

It just got my attention because I thought it would fall shortly after I originally saw the crack months ago. Weird things do happen in the woods. A few years ago I was looking out my picture window when a strong downburst hit my area. All I saw were trees falling. Fortunately, all were falling on my neighbor's property, except for one of their trees that fell on mine. The amazing thing about that was most of the dozen or so trees that fell were full-size trees with leaves. The dead trees on their properties were still standing!

Right now it bothers me that we have so many dead trees that are threatening our roads and utility lines. It is only a matter of time. PP&L has cleared many, but only the ones that threaten their lines. My township used to take down trees that threatened our local roads, but they no longer do (I presume because of the cost and insurance problems if things go wrong). It is almost impossible to get anybody to take down a tree threatening our roads unless it has fallen in the road.