Young trees - removal options?

[Omi]

We have around around 25 juvenile trees on the site that will need to be removed in order for the house to go in:

 

 

They are a mostly different types of Birch with a few Goat Willows and Cherries in the mix. I estimate they were planted roughly 10 years ago and are currently around 15 feet high but the trunks are still < 6" in diameter.

 

What's the most cost effective method of getting these removed? I'm happy to relocated them to another part of the plot or even give them away if someone wants a grown tree for their garden!

 

 

[Bored Shopper]

our neighbour posted on Facebook marketplace an ad saying "come dig it up and have it for free". He had about 20 people turning up with spades ready to dig up and take home anything in sight.

[Russell griffiths]

If you want the cheapest option. 

Get the groundwork guy to dig them out and chuck in a heap and wait for November the 5th. 

 

However a nicer option would be to get the groundwork guy to dig them out with his biggest bucket and move them to another part of the site. 

 

Option 1. two hours work. 

Option 2. 6 hours work. 

 

Bear in mind if you wanted to go to go and buy them at the end of the build you have a few thousand pounds worth there, so worth a punt moving them even if only 30% survive as it’s completely the wrong time  to do it. 

Edited May 2, 2021 by Russell griffiths

[ProDave]

I had several like that on our plot.  To remove them. I loosened around the base wit the digger, before then using the digger to pus the tree over and tear it out of the ground.  They then all got cut, dried and used as firewood.

[Temp]

Probably small enough to pull them out with a chain on the excavator.

[Temp]

Nice looking plot by the way.

[Omi]

Thanks everyone, I'll look at a mix of:

• Giving away
• Relocating
• Cutting down for firewood and fence-posts

Really needing to watch every penny here after it turned out that getting services in will end up eating 10% of our budget.

[Ferdinand]

If those are about the size I think they are (~20 ft?) then a birch will reach that size in a very small number of years, so personally I would not pfaff with transplanting.

 

The most environmentally friendly was to remove them is with a medium sized elephant.

 

Very useful things, elephants.

[Omi]

12 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

The most environmentally friendly was to remove them is with a medium sized elephant.

 

? I'll put up an ad for elephants in the local papers... 

[Ferdinand]

6 minutes ago, Omi said:

 

? I'll put up an ad for elephants in the local papers... 

 

Might work in Whipsnade.

[Russell griffiths]

Birch will be no good for fencing, it will only last about 2 years once cut. 

[Russell griffiths]

If you are on a budget then buy yourself a digger and do as much as you can. 

[Omi]

2 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Birch will be no good for fencing, it will only last about 2 years once cut. 

 

Good to know - thanks!