A report has been released about a tree felling accident that occurred in Idaho on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest July 31, 2012. You can read the entire report, but briefly, a Lodgepole pine being felled was 18 to 24 inches in diameter and leaning toward an open area where the chain saw operator hoped it would land. When the back cut was complete the tree did not fall since the weight of the limbs was pulling it 90° off the desired direction of fall toward a pump house with solar panels on the roof. The sawyer continued cutting, going all the way through the holding wood. At that point, the weight of the limbs pulled the tree toward the pump house where it landed, crushing some of the solar panels.

The report identified several things that went well. In addition, here are the lessons learned:

• “Tree felling is a dynamic situation. Each tree needs to be sized up and a planned procedural approach needs to be in place. Using a different cutting procedure may be needed even on similar trees.
• Reviewing the situation with the sawyer, discussion included multiple cutting procedures ( ¼ cutting the back cut so wedges will be in the tree early and often).
• Always check your cuts.
• Don’t cut your holding wood.
• Use wedges.
• There were two other certified sawyers available that could have gone with him to act as spotters and/or give advice.
• The Recreation Tech. could have easily walked to the area and discussed the project with him.
• Perhaps take a bit more time for the entire operation as there were costly infrastructures involved in the falling area.
• Sawyer spent some time after the incident re-checking and reviewing his skills with a C sawyer and felled trees as planned. He feels it is a “lessons remembered” experience, as there are lots of little things to learn in the beginning which can sometimes be taken for granted.”