The Property (Before Work Began)
The elm stood tall on a residential lot on 12th Street in Grants Pass. It was a big tree, the kind you notice from the street. But it was also sick. Dead wood filled the canopy. Heavy branches with weak crotch angles hung over the neighbor’s home and the property’s outbuilding.
The tree had recently dropped a large limb into the neighbor’s yard, landing close to their house. That was the wake-up call. The homeowners needed to know: could the tree be saved, or was it time to let it go?
The Client’s Goals
The homeowners wanted answers. They called me to assess the elm and help them figure out the safest path forward. They were worried about more branches falling, not just on their own property, but on the neighbor’s home too.
They weren’t interested in a band-aid fix. They wanted the truth: what would actually protect their family, their home, and their neighbors?
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Our Strategy
After walking the property and looking at the tree from every angle, I knew what I had to recommend: full removal.
The elm was diseased and in decline. Dead wood throughout the canopy. Heavy branches with poor structure. It wasn’t a question of if more branches would fall — it was when.
I considered recommending a thorough pruning. But even if we removed all the deadwood, the tree would need more care soon. And with its location so close to two structures, I couldn’t in good conscience gamble on its stability.
In all honesty, the decision was sobering. This elm was big and beautiful. If it were out in a forest or an open field — somewhere it wasn’t a threat to people or homes — I would have recommended letting it live out the rest of its life. But that wasn’t the situation here.
Both the homeowners and the neighbors were relieved when I explained the plan.
The Work Plan
I knew the job would take two full days. Day one: get most of the tree down safely. Day two: remove debris and leave the property clean.
Because of the tree’s location — growing over the outbuilding and extremely close to the neighbor’s fence — almost every branch would need to be tied off, cut, and lowered by rope. That’s detailed, time-consuming work. But it’s the only way to protect the structures below.
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The Work Itself
The job went exactly as planned: two full days.
Getting the branches safely on the ground was the bulk of the work. Many of them were so long and heavy they couldn’t be cut whole. I had to climb out far enough on the limbs to cut them into manageable pieces. My ground guy had his work cut out for him — he skillfully lowered every limb without a single one hitting the neighbor’s fence or the outbuilding. It was impressive.
Once all the branches were off and the tree’s height was drastically reduced, we could safely drop the trunk from the ground without any risk to the neighbors.
When all the material was down, we started the cleanup. We hauled the smaller material to Southern Oregon Compost just outside of Grants Pass to be turned into compost. The bigger wood went back to my place to be made into firewood — the homeowners didn’t have a wood stove, so it would have gone to waste otherwise.
We raked, blew, and made sure the lot looked better than when we arrived.
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The Results
The tree was completely removed, and the property was left looking better than when we arrived. Most importantly, the homeowners and neighbors had something they didn’t have before: peace of mind.
No more wondering when the next branch would fall. No more worrying about damage to the homes or risk of injury.
One Unexpected Benefit
The property got much more light. With the elm gone, the yard opened up in a way the homeowners hadn’t anticipated.
It was the right call. Even if, in some ways, it was sad to see the tree go.
Got a tree you’re worried about?
Let’s take a look. I’ll tell you what needs to happen, and what doesn’t. Call (541) 846-3103 or request a free assessment.
