Essential Tree Felling and Cutting Techniques

Basic Actions in Forestry

• To fell a tree is to cut down a standing tree.
• To limb a tree is to cut branches from a tree that has already been cut or to remove branches that have fallen naturally.
• To lop a tree is to cut the top of it so that it reaches a maximum specified height above ground after the tree is felled.
• To top a tree is to cut its branches to stubs or lateral branches that are not large enough to sustain themselves. (See this video for more information. Also, for further information, visit this site on Tree Topping vs. Crown Reduction).
• A wedge cut is a section cut from a tree according to the directional pressure of the bind, making it easier for the wood to be sawn.
• A crosscut saw is a saw designed to cut at a right angle, across the wood grain.
• To load trees or branches is to place them on a bed in a vehicle to be carried from one location to another.
• To buck a tree is to cut its wood into smaller pieces, such as logs or cordwood.
• Cordwood is wood that has been cut into lengths that can be stacked into cords and stored for firewood.
• To chip wood is to cut or break away pieces.

Types of Cuts and Notches

• A wedge cut is a section cut from a tree according to the directional pressure of the bind, making it easier for the wood to be sawn.
• To cut a tree or tree branch is to slice through it or to divide it into sections with an ax or a saw.
• An open-faced notch is a series of three cuts made to fell a tree, where all three run at different angles.
• A conventional notch is a series of three cuts made to fell a tree, where two of the cuts run in a continuous line.
• A Humboldt notch is a series of three cuts made to fell a tree, where two of the cuts run in parallel lines and are joined by a further perpendicular cut.
• A bind is a situation of pressure on a felled tree caused by objects that prevent it from lying flat on the ground.
• A straight cut is a cut in a straight line at 90 degrees to the direction of the log.
• A compound cut is a set of two cuts at angles less than 90 degrees to the direction of the log.
• An offset cut (desplazado) is a cut performed in two or more parts in order to prevent danger when the log drops.
• A tongue and groove cut (machihembrado) is a cut where one side of the log is cut into a hollow (hueco, cavidad) and the other into a protrusion (saliente).
• A tension side cut is a cut made on the side of the log that is under tension.
• A compression side cut is a cut made on the side of the log that is under compression.