Falling an old growth redwood tree; Humboldt County, CA, 2002

This residual old growth redwood was on private property, and was missing its top. This tree was in my cuttin pards' strip, and had 37,000 bd. ft. in it. It was fell with a Stihl 088 with a 60" canon bar. We were using silvey tree saver jacks, to jack it up the hill. Each ram is capable of 62 tons of lift, and we had four rams and two pumps. The tree was bucked into 20' logs, and the first and second logs had to be quartered, while the third and fourth logs, had to be ripped, so that they could be flown out, with a boeing 234 chinook helicopter.
It took about 6 hours to fall and buck, and we were in no hurry, as we, and our bullbucks, were having fun, doing what we were born to do. When he crawled in the undercut for a photo opportunity, he was absolutely in NO danger! There was a significant amount of holding wood that had to be cut and jack pressure applied after he did this. Average age of an coastal, old growth redwood, is 5-700 years.

[@bensnide5846]

A lost art, and a lost breed of men. The amount of work and knowledge it takes to not only fell that right and safe, but to actually get it out of the woods is amazing. Thanks for sharing this amazing video.

[@pubrally]

The men are there but the trees arent . Just got back from Oregon working with some lumber jacks and the biggest trees they dropped were 40-50 inches wide . Still a good sized tree but only 50-100 years old.

[@TarzanThomas]

You bet.

[@hulkhogan2113]

@@pubrally I'm in Humboldt county, there's still a few giants like this one on my property but besides that your looking at 50-200 year olds now instead of the 5000 year olds. It is a bit depressing. Take a drive down the avenue of the giants you'll see these every 15 ft.

[@tonyalways7174]

Great job and a very neat drop on such a massive tree 👍🏻

[@TarzanThomas]

Thanks

[@stevet8121]

Thanks for the video. I worked for Simpson Timber Co. logging old growth Redwoods back in the late 60's and early 70's mostly along the Klamath River. I never got tired of watching the fallers work their magic. It's a lot harder than it looks.

[@TarzanThomas]

You bet. You probably got to see a lot bigger trees than this tozed over if you were there in the 60's and 70's then I'm sure.

[@stevet8121]

Tarzan Thomas The biggest I remember was almost 14' dia. on the stump. It wasn't a tall tree though. We had to split and 1/4 any log over about 10' to legally haul on the highway. Most of our skidding was done with Cats and rubber tired arches. Our loader was a 988. A few of the old fallers were Johnny Walker, Tom and Bobby Langford, Don Jackman, and a few others I can't remember off hand. I wish I had taken more photos.

[@TarzanThomas]

Steve T Ahhh, the good ol' days! I wish I would have taken more time for photos and videos too. I got to experience some awesome things for a young guy.

[@davidlea-smith4747]

I watched this film with my 2 year old nephew. It was fantastic and we both loved it. Thanks for putting it online.

[@TarzanThomas]

You bet.

[@k.m.1232]

Ugh. -_-

[@caroloneill8079]

Too bad Tarzan you are afraid to use you're given name. Yes, I realize trees were where I once lived on 10th street and then out where my parents bought 35acres and dad's company was build on one of those acres. Where Jack Visser who was one of my best friends father logged. Each generation gets or should get smarter. Dying trees and thinning as I said are fine but to wipe them out is not! I'm almost 80 years old and I see, how destructive man gets for the dollar!

[@michaelinelegant1289]

@@caroloneill8079 that's true, I unfortunately don't see it stopping or slowing down anytime soon

[@alanmorris5041]

You know, as I've gotten older, in my 50's, I've learned to appreciate things more! Im from Ga and my wife & I took a trip to San Francisco on vacation and we took several tours out there to see the area surrounding SF including going to 3 SF Giants baseball games! The most enjoyable tour we took was going on the Muir Woods and we got to see a 600 acre track of those majestic Redwood trees and I was amazed at the size of those trees!!! They are magical and you owe it to yourself to see them before you leave this world. And YES, I would fly clear across the US to see them again. Ive never been a logger but Ive cut down tons of trees through the years for the fireplace. Im an ole country boy and I guess I like that sort-of-thang! If my memory serves me right, I think a fellow by the name of John Muir was the man that knew sooner or later all of those Redwood trees might be gone and he bought that 600 acre track, donated it to the state and had it declared a national park or something like that so those Redwood wood be safe. Thank You, Mr John Muir

[@TarzanThomas]

They are amazing trees and I am glad that there are tracts set aside, never to be touched.

[@christuttle3980]

Great video Greetings from Vancouver Island British Columbia Canada 🇨🇦

[@TarzanThomas]

Howdy pardner

[@SicC678]

Some serious skill demonstrated in this cut! Cant even imagine, gotta have alot of confidence with stuff like that. I'm still working on gettin comfortable with 30 INCH tree's lol. thanks for sharing. enjoyed!

[@TarzanThomas]

+SicC678 You bet!

[@zroverz]

These are great stewards of the forest. The wood will not be wasted. It is far too precious. I would like to express my thanks and awe at such skilled workers

[@TarzanThomas]

+zroverz Thanks!

[@paulmurphy9909]

Awsum!!!! That guy lying in the cut!! Wow. Nicely done boys, respect to that old redwood hope you planted more!!

[@TarzanThomas]

Thanks! No need to replant, they regenerate naturally.

[@TarzanThomas]

Kaptaan Pakistan You ever read up any facts about redwoods, or do you just like talking ignorance? Average age of a old growth coastal redwood is 5-700 years, with only a few having been found to be around 2,000 years old. Who is the moron?

[@twysong91]

don't understand why people get upset over them cutting this down he said the top was missing and the tree was dead. A tree is a living thing and does not live forever. It is safer for them to fall the rather than the tree falling on its own and wasting the wood I am always amazed at this ignorance of the tree huggers.

[@mkay1957]

It is purely a childish emotional response.

[@twysong91]

@@mkay1957 I agree and it’s the lack of education on forestry

[@troybalgie2149]

Humans think we own the Earth and can do whatever we want. There is gonna be a rude awakening when the Earth decides she had enough of our cockiness.

[@mkay1957]

@@troybalgie2149 That would be true if the Earth was a living, breathing rational being. But it isnt.

[@mkay1957]

@@troybalgie2149 That tree was dying. Better to use it for lumber than let it go to waste rotting in the forest. Californias forests are horribly overgrown anyway, which is the reason we keep having horrible wildfires. Last time I checked we need lumber to build houses. CA governor Gavin Newsome said in 2020 that CA needs almost 2,000,000 more housing units to meet demand. Sounds like you are denying the less fortunate the opportunity to have a roof over their heads.

[@MichaEL-jd9jw]

For a tree this old, this should be illegal

[@StrokerAce3983]

Grizz Meister They probably fell the tree for reasons other than to get the money out of it. The tree may have been on unstable ground and need to be taken down. It is illegal to cut down redwoods but this was on his private property. And he can do so as he pleases with the trees on his land.

[@hithere5553]

nox no, they exist because they live, and their purpose is to survive.

[@mendonesiac]

@@StrokerAce3983 it is not illegal to cut redwoods, don't be silly!

[@jeffcoxen1386]

👍 Awesome work fellas! Didn't think that one fella was ever gonna get dirty! 😂

[@StillTheBest1980]

Amazing to think it took 6 hours to take this down. What did it take the boys of yesteryear to take down such a tree. It's the men in jeans that built the nation not the men in suits. I was in California last year and was amazed by these giant trees. Will go back soon. Thanks for posting.

[@TarzanThomas]

+StillTheBest1980 You bet! By the way, we were wearing jeans :)

[@stevenking2980]

Damn right. Great comment.

[@robertglenn5398]

+StillTheBest1980 Man, you got that right. The men in jeans build and proudly so. The men suits destroy what has so proudly been built. I know. I used to wear suits and was never happier than the day I worn a suit for the last time and had a Pierre Cardin bonfire in the back yard later that evening. My parents thought me insane and in need of mental help; my old lady decided not to move out because she sensed I was no longer insane.

[@chrisfinnerty4598]

ge

[@kilipuril475]

⁸

[@royhendrickiii7798]

This is great! Have been there years ago logging (quartering in the brush large 1-4 cuts with dynamite). Once its in your blood it never leaves, I have been a professional timberman for 40+ years and would not trade the hours of sheer boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror for anything in the world, let alone the camaraderie!

[@TarzanThomas]

Thanks pard.

[@marjolaineboudreau4662]

!

[@CarlPrudeJr3]

I'm not a tree hugger on any level, but my favorite place on the earth is the Redwood Forest areas of Humbolt County. Crescent City, Avenue of the Giants, Prairie Creek, Arcata, Eureka, Willits....everything up there. I hate to see any of the old growth trees that are left cut down, even the damaged ones. There's just no place like this anywhere else on earth.

[@mendonesiac]

Same here, brother. Hailing from Branscomb.

[@DeanLorman]

There are few of us with the skills and tooling to get one of these big,dangerous beasties laid to rest without damaging the wood within.This one was an a-typical,could been a shitty day but you sir set that down with hardly an internal crack and I respect you and your crew for your talents.

[@TarzanThomas]

+Dean Lorman Thanks

[@scottparsons2031]

Very grateful we can use the wood and replant instead of loosing it to fire or rot. Excellent management of our resources

[@jeronimomod156]

The amazing thing is they didn't kill this tree. The root system is still alive and will Sprout many more trees. They actually made more trees.

[@ralphdavis9670]

Not more "old growth" redwood though. That is the difference.

[@jeronimomod156]

@@ralphdavis9670 as opposed to what? Last Tuesday?. They didn't grow during black and white video WTF. Backup and reconsider for the rest of the universe to have a chance for one more birthday,🙂😀🤣

[@jeronimomod156]

Yes that's right someone gave birth to this wonderful person that helps everyday the sun shines shein better because they are there to Usher it through the day. The slow computing years of Nintendo are behind and we will never be able to make that kind of boiled water again. Respect the time we have left before the coin slot changes the flavor

[@Handlinyomommascheeks]

@@jeronimomod156 calm down Jamal he just said one sentence n ur going off

[@jeronimomod156]

@@Handlinyomommascheeks I was just calmly stating a fact. You calme down freeza don't make me take some senzu beans✊👊🤘🤦‍♂️😀🤣🤣

[@panickedmanic268]

REALLY awsome video. I'm a young sawyer n find it fascinating n educational to watch u seasoned vets knock down the big wood.

[@TarzanThomas]

+Panicked Manic Thanks pard. Keep it up, and you will be a seasoned vet before you know it. Just remember...this is a job where you never stop learning.

[@stevenmassey1036]

Back in @ 1970 I was in forestry school in Lassen county CA and we went on a tour up through the redwoods and saw a logging operation and got to witness a falling redwood. It was about ten in diameter. They had made a bed to fell it on. Awesome experience.

[@TarzanThomas]

+Steven Massey I agree. I will never forget it, and would love to go back in time and do it again.

[@thomashynes4042]

And I bet that every piece of that tree was not put to waste...that is just awesome....and now with that tree gone, younger more viable trees can take its place.

[@TarzanThomas]

Thomas Hynes You bet!

[@xyzct]

I live on the northern Oregon coast. I have several very large Sikta spruce on my property. I love them; it's an honor to be their steward. One had the mother of all widow-makers hung up about 3/4 of the way up, that endangered the public right-of-way. My arborist buddy kindly got it down for me. My tree-hugging neighbor LOST HER FREAKIN' MIND. She accused my killing the tree, and implied that I'm basically clear-cutting Oregon. When I explained that the massive branch had completely broken off, she argued that I could have attempted to reattach it. Then she held a vigil.

[@TarzanThomas]

Some people are just plain crazy...

[@TheSKINNMAN]

My God that is awesome. I work in construction and some of the things I do I think I am nuts for even trying it. But it is all about the experience I have. And the same goes in your work. Good job. May you and your family have a blessed day

[@TarzanThomas]

+TheSKINNMAN Thanks!

[@mickblock]

This is coming from someone who just used to help clean up when my dad fell a tree, but when you guys kept crawling completely into the notch it made me wince.

[@TarzanThomas]

Michael Block Yeah, this seems to be very misunderstood on this video. I assure you, we were in no danger.

[@michaelsoprych2371]

Much as anyone hates to see an old growth tree get cut - missing it's top was the end of a long and glorious life = better the board feet benefit mankind

[@michaelsoprych2371]

and yes when a tree falls in the woods it definitely makes a sound

[@harmonyrpt]

Trees including Redwoods do just fine after losing their tops. Some of the most famous and healthy Redwoods lost their tops yet continue to inspire and thrive. There's the Libby Tree aka Tall Tree in Redwood National Park, the Imortal Tree along the Avenue of the Giants, and Mother of the Forest in Big Basin Redwoods State Park. There are countless other unnamed examples. These living trees are of much greater benefit to mankind than a private deck on rich man's house.

[@chrisn5388]

@@harmonyrpt mm yes tree very inspiring and big

[@jeremyjames83]

great video.. I am glad the tree was used rather than let rot..

[@TarzanThomas]

AVanilla Gorilla Thanks. The only trees I ever fell that were left to rot were trees that were either already rotten and had to be cut down for the safety of myself, or the hookers under the helicopter, or sometimes bigger tops that had too many knots and were worthless for lumber and only good for pulp. Every bit of every redwood that I ever cut that could have an 8' long board cut out of it, was utilized.

[@TarzanThomas]

KoivuTheHab And if you read my post, you will see that I said that we left rotten trees on the ground, to rot.

[@antoniochisholm5970]

Thoughs trees where around the dinosaur era...that sucks.. I wonder how long it took that tree too grow that big...down in a few min.

[@alisimmons5782]

That was an interesting and we'll carried out felling and at the least the trunk was salvaged rather than just left to rot! I'm an English arborist who hates seeing waste and recycling is one of my top priorities! Most of the time I have to work with young trees that have grown in the wrong place but occasionally I can save magnificent trees! If they can live on in some beautiful way, then it's not such a great loss!

[@TarzanThomas]

I don't like waste either. Now that I am a tree climber, I can save em or kill em, depending on the tree and what the client wants :)

[@merqury5]

Very interesting to watch. As described this tree was not complete anymore so I agree that it might as well be harvested. Nice cut

[@leroyjenkins140]

Takes some balls of steel to climb under that thing man.

[@ann-catherinemorner7499]

The balls might be steel, but the brains are rusty...

[@billrobbins5874]

Thinking stupidity myself. Just an opinion anyway.

[@tangertanger1972]

@@ann-catherinemorner7499 h

[@user-rc4dp9ws2w]

세상에 이런나무가 있다니 정말놀랍섬니다

[@slothoner6946]

While it takes balls to do this work altogether… That tree could stand with that face cut in it for years! But what do I know, I’m just a certified arborist with 20 years of experience.

[@michaelmixon1099]

I really dislike seeing these old redwoods taken down.

[@Silentslayer998]

+Michael Mixon It was missing its top half.. was dying anyways

[@lonewarrior1999]

then don't watch the effin video

[@thedog2472]

+

[@virtualguitarist]

But yet you come here to watch it. Makes a lot of sense.

[@theflamethrower867]

+Silent Slayer when it's dying it sprouts even more trees

[@dirtypimpbird]

Thank for thinning out diseased or dying trees. This helps sustain the forest. Too bad so few people know that. Stay safe..

[@TarzanThomas]

+dirtypimpbird It is too bad. Thanks for your intelligent comment!

[@ceverest2]

Alot of ignorant comments on here. Nice video man, im an arborist out here in maine and i would love to get a chance to climb a red wood haha. Sucks seeing old growth trees have to be taken down, but its better to get a second life out of it than to let it rot. We lost our biggest elm out here to dutch elm disease and it had to come down, but they used it for timber, furniture and so on so it still lives on. If only people who hate arborists actually realized how much we all care about trees and the beauty and materials they provide for us.

[@TarzanThomas]

Thanks

[@julianreischl]

So, this land has been yours for 2000+ years, therefore it's just fine to cut down that tree? And trees without their tops are dead or useless? How can you live with yourself for cutting down such a monument of nature? Not to offend you personally, but this is just disgusting to me. I can't understand how anyone could ever come to the conclusion that it is best to cut down such a giant.

[@shanszu7082]

If you so concerned go buy the property.

[@xxTandersonxx]

Funny you say this considering you're writing this bullshit comment from a home built by this very industry.

[@julianreischl]

Tanner Anderson No, I live in Germany. We build our houses from stone so they don't get blown away in case of a storm. And for the wooden parts we don't kill 2000 year old trees, 40 years is enough for a beam and some boards.

[@julianreischl]

Shan Szu Not everything has to be evaluated through money, you know?

[@shanszu7082]

Stop complaining. If you want to preserve the eco-system one of the best ways is to buy the land and not complain and cry about it. Yes said that this tree is gone. But the reality is people complain and never take action. What is your next action to help stop this? Protesting gets so far and complaining. Get funds together and make a natural preserve.

[@conorgeraghty4178]

No one is boycotting the furniture in their homes to save the trees

[@diannaclark4252]

I would rather have plastic furniture than have a murdered tree made into anything in my home

[@jimgoff1170]

You don’t need an 800 year old tree to make furniture!

[@Carter7657yt]

It was dead already rotting better to cut it down for the spare wood, it’s better for the community

[@mkay1957]

@@diannaclark4252 Murdered? Oh puh-leeze! You do realize that the tree was dead, right? You also don't seem to realize that the plastic in your chairs are a derivative of oil.

[@wowthatsawesome2762]

This was on private property and I'm pretty sure those trees are protected for the most part. Awesome video.

[@DG-kq8zf]

I miss hearing the yarder whistles echoing through the hills. Nice video. I wish there were cameras and KZbin when my dad and grandfather were cutting these down. There's a treasure trove on Monument. My grandfather and the guys he was working with took cats and buried the burls, including root burls. They never retrieved them and nobody knows where they are anymore. Hundreds of them.

[@TarzanThomas]

+Darrell Foust Thanks:)

[@mikebuchanan9522]

Those men knew the Redwoods were a limited treasure, and they also knew they were destroying our unreplaceable legacy!

[@jackryder6824]

You know it's a big tree when you have to use hydraulic jacks instead of wedges. My house is over 100 years old and framed out of redwood. Not one bit of bug damage present when I gutted it to remodel and insulate. Sad is not cutting down the tree, it's not replanting one or two more redwoods to replace it. Unmanaged land is what burns people's houses down in wild fires. Even the wedge removed from that tree could be used for something. Just remember that you can replant a tree but you can't replace oil.

[@TarzanThomas]

Thanks for showing some love to the timber industry

[@ducati644]

This is truly sad.

[@Chris-Fennimore]

Good job! A once-in-a-lifetime falling. 37,000BF and the top was off already. Amazing.

[@mainehome2678]

Cool footage. In Maine, I've never had a tree with more than 3000 bd ft!

[@MrRootboyslim]

I have trouble limbing a 60 pine on the ground! Remarkable feat, guys.

[@mikefreeman3772]

The saddest aspect of my work related to this wonderful type of wood is having to demo redwood exterior decks because the homeowners failed to maintain the wood from weather and bees (central Missouri). Some exterior decks that are properly maintained can last many decades, decks receiving no maintence might last 5 - 10 years.

[@alans.martin538]

Quality work. Living in the Sierra next to a closed mill I understand logs too well. The art in falling that tree clean is hard for the majority to understand. As a woodworker I would love that heartwood.

[@TarzanThomas]

Thanks.

[@kylekamna5556]

Big tree big paycheck, specialty cutters with balls of steel. Currently I work in a hem/fir sawmill we produce around 50,000 board ft per hour, its overwhelming and astounding to think that there is a true demand and need for such volumes of lumber. I should really get back into the carpentry side of the lumber industry much more rewarding. Surprised none of these huggers mentioned the amount of carbon released back into the atmosphere once a tree has been processed.

[@TarzanThomas]

Was just another day monetary wise for the fallers, although the glory experience was huge. I am sure the sawmill that owned the tree, got payed well. Thanks for your comment.

[@jeffs9530]

Thanks for posting this. such a grand tree needs to be celebrated for its long life.

[@TarzanThomas]

+Jeff S You bet!

[@tamezzodiac2862]

For all the people crying out there this tree was probably dead or dying. Now we do have a major problem with cutting down the amazon and jungles like that along with the red woods which needs to stop. But this tree looked gray like it was about to die and was missing it’s top.

[@adamheckle2198]

perfect tree to leave behind for habitat and carbon sequestration.. Which is the only way to battle climate change! by keeping carbon in the forest... All forests matter!

[@AMCguy]

Just so everyone knows, old growth sequoias are banned now for logging. But they were harvested for many yearsin the early days. Their wood was used for toothpicks ironically

[@bobbyhorn7059]

Nice love that big timber! Got some big 4,5,6,foot oak, poplar, walnut around here in sw virginia but nothing like that.

[@blacktoothgrin5830]

I LIKE lookin at the old pics of them poor bastards who used to cut twice that size down with axes and two man hand saws for weeks on end only to collect their pay checks,ride into town and blow it all in one nite on whiskey and women.LOL.then go back and do it all again..quite the hard workin easy life back then..cool vid!!

[@LandersWorkshop]

+BLACKtoothGRIN I wonder how much mega-coin they got for doing one of those trees?

[@raycity1234]

+BLACKtoothGRIN My father was one of them men he made $22.50 for a 11 hour day.

[@LandersWorkshop]

jerry ray Back in the day...

[@vanhalenman60]

sad that the top broke, i was in the redwood forest when a giant broke and ill never forget the sound. at least theres a ton of beautiful lumber. Also dont be sad so long as the stump wasnt killed baseless sprouts will pop up all over and grow incredibly strong.

[@chickenmanedbrown8054]

My dad was always the great craftsmanship dropping these trees way he did it is with blasting caps and a special cable to pull in one direction. They use special blasting caps that didn't do a lot of damage just enough to separate the trunk from the root so nothing didn't go to waste.

[@johnconklin9039]

Holy smokes, that is just too cool! I'd like to have just one of the small blocks cut out to turn a bowl with. Great vid.

[@TarzanThomas]

+John Conklin Thanks

[@marcuslopez5860]

Most these comments clearly have no idea what goes into being an arborist not many people can handle felling a tree half that size with no knowledge of what is actually being done here and why. Been doing arbor work for over 6 years now we fell dead trees for a good reason and prune live ones for a reason, do y’all’s research before assuming it’s bad for the environment. Just like people who hunt deer and other animals, not my field probably never will be. What would we do without arborist keeping live trees healthy and dead trees out of harms way so they don’t hurt/kill or destroy peoples homes from too much topside weight especially when the trees are wilting and rotting. Just the other day removed 5 hackberry trees right in between two residential homes because they were dead and hazardous and potentially deadly to the home owners .

[@Serenity-tn4yn]

You don't get it, the act of cutting down ancient trees that were here long before us and will remain so long after our passing just to "save" some random humans that temporarily inhabit the area is a very bad idea. Forests and earth in general don't need human intervention whatsoever to survive or flourish, there was a point in time where we didn't have technology or the tools to cut down trees and everything was fine. Dead trees fell and were absorbed by earth like they're meant to.

[@Kazy_RU]

​@@Serenity-tn4ynDamm right, wonder if the guy above you can point out a planet where trees grow.

[@SSphyscosaws]

@@Kazy_RUI love those big ole butts they sure do make a lot of lumber out of them. Nothing like hearing and feeling a giant slam the earth.

[@wingmanalive]

Why all the dislikes? It's not a dolphin or a baby seal is killed. A tree is a plant with no heartbeat or soul. What do you think home construction has been built from the past 200 years? You tree huggers need to realize you all are hypocrites. Trees are wood and paper, try living your life without either of them, then get back to me on that "green" issue you have.

[@johngrace9626]

+wingmanalive I think the difference is we've bio-engineered many tree cultivers that grow very fast, straight, and capable of supporting all lumber needs. Point being, when old growth trees are gone they're gone for good...just because we 'can' drop a six hundred year old tree does that mean we have to when they're plenty of alternatives available?

[@wingmanalive]

Let me respond. Yes we use Southern yellow pine as our main source of building materials for framing. Doug fir as well. Yet they are not furniture grade quality wood. When you harvest the lumber from a large redwood and produce 100's of pieces of furniture and timeless pieces of beauty from it you double it's life. If you wait until it decays and falls it's worthless. Take a 200 year redwood and let it fall by mother nature's will or cut it down and make the wood last an addition 100 years on useful ventures.

[@johngrace9626]

+wingmanalive You're certainly welcome to that point of view but allow me to posit the argument differently. Tigers in the wild are nearly extinct from loss of habitat and poaching. Within this past year, a species of rhinoceros was made extinct, why, poached for his horn to be used in chinese medicine and ornamental Sikh knives. Point being...that animal is gone for good. Old growth forests, by definition, are 'old growth' only because they've been around for hundreds if not thousands of years. The time for which it takes a tree to become truly old growth is far longer than any piece of furniture will possibly survive. Additionally, the world has many species of environmentally sustainable trees that could be readily used that wouldn't require the harvesting of the world's last old growth forests. With those resources both viable and available do we need to lumber the last of the old growth trees simply because we can or that they cost a few pennies less?

[@lookingfortruth9956]

200 year old tree would be bad enough. The tree in the video was closer to 2000 than 200. By the time another tree grows from sapling to that age there's a good chance humans will have killed themselves off.

[@wingmanalive]

+Looking for truth Look, I respect everyone's views and opinions but if history has shown us anything is that everything on this planet has been cycled and recycled MANY times. That goes with the air you and I breathe, the oil used to refine into gas in your car, countless species of plants and animals (99.99999% of which nature, not man, has chosen for extinction) and everything in between. In our tiny blip of existence on this planet we are but a microscopic spec on the Earth's timeline from beginning to end. There were billions of lifeforms before us we never saw and there will be billions of lifeforms after us we will never see. 100's of species of animals and 100's of forms of plant life become extinct every year. Humans didn't kill them all. Nature did. It's our burden to bear theorizing on when our time is up and how as an intelligent being we can prepare for it. I'm bringing beer.

[@davediamond7228]

in the 1970's ,the construction company i worked for ( new tract homes) we used all redwood studs ...treated wood for the bottom plate and Douglas fir for the top plates -joist- trusses

[@TarzanThomas]

It is awesome wood.

[@timothyward8564]

Wonder how long before they had it cut up and hauled out

[@stevenmccallan9202]

Nicely done, fellas. You are clearly pros. I'm sure the wood was put to good use.

[@TarzanThomas]

Thanks pardner.

[@brucehades6323]

Aaruni Gupta exactly right, the animal that doesnt have the ability to realize or even think clearly and understand its surroundings doesnt deserve as much as the human that has awareness and can experience complex emotions and existential things. I'm proud of you for using that noggin of yours!

[@brucehades6323]

Bryce Danke what's the matter? Gotta use insults because you arent right? LMAO

[@BourneAccident]

Do people have to cut really old growth like this? Isn't anything sacred?

[@BourneAccident]

Shade WolfKins Yes, I do get teary-eyed. I wish I was a pre-historic man.

[@BourneAccident]

***** Read. My comment regarded old growth, not renewable fir.

[@BourneAccident]

***** There are trillions of old growth? You're delusional if you think all trees are the same.

[@houseblacksmithing9836]

+Bourne Accident All trees become old growth eventually.

[@BourneAccident]

***** Yeah, er, um... kind of but not really.

[@ianstevenson1311]

Awesome man. Felled a few Biggie's using a 48" bar, but nothing like as big as that. Would love to have been part of this job. Nice work :-)

[@TarzanThomas]

+Ian Stevenson Thanks.

[@hillearybrown7083]

wow you boys did a hell of a job. Thanks for the video

[@TarzanThomas]

+Hilleary Brown You Bet

[@dustbinbroom]

What a rare right of passage to climb into the cut of the fall...

[@MarkCliffeIsGay]

My opinion as a staunch environmentalist: you're doing nothing wrong. If people don't want this to happen anymore they ought to stop putting up a demand for it.

[@TarzanThomas]

And my opinion as a proud logger, and killer of trees...you are right.

[@skyloi3681]

Mark Cliffe uughgvbvgdffdddd

[@kc5hgv]

Reminds me when I was cutting down my live Oak in my backyard. This had to be done after two Hurricanes back to back in 2005. That was one hell of a job took me and my buddies 6 days to remove it. It was real close to my house.

[@asustech0079]

That guy crawling in that tree just made me cringe... what the?

[@donaldduck9493]

Is there footage of it getting bucked to length? I’d like to see that process. Being from giant redwood country, I always see pics and video of the falling, or the loaded trucks, but having cut a couple much smaller trees, I know the bucking process can be even more challenging when you can’t get 360degrees around the tree.

[@TarzanThomas]

Sorry pardner, we didn't get video of that. You are correct though, it can be complicated to make nice cuts on big wood.

[@tylorcornell8350]

Hey how big is that bar 6' or 8'

[@joern888]

im a lumberjack in scandinavia and we dont have trees that size at all :D that chainsaw is massive! would love to try it

[@TarzanThomas]

Yessir, it was a glorious day.

[@mariaterrassalaesposaderic393]

@@TarzanThomas e÷CE

[@rreavis25]

Great video. My father was one of the men in the video. Wish I would have been there to help

[@ichumauzumaki2385]

Nh Nhh;ghh

[@DIMMSDALE]

One day ill be logging on this level. Hats off to you gents.

[@TarzanThomas]

Not a bad aspiration pardner. I wish I could go back in time and do it all again.

[@sikkepossu]

How many cubic meters of wood this tree contains?

[@WildSuns42]

How large was this tree diam wise? I mean, how does this compare size wise to the largest that would have been felled ? Granted this also was large...

[@TarzanThomas]

Dave Greaves I think it was 9'5" diameter inside the bark(only wood). This pales in comparison to the largest trees ever fell, but, yes, it was a big ass tree.

[@ivicamuzinic6170]

What brand and model is chainsaw at 2:12

[@TarzanThomas]

Stihl 088

[@ivicamuzinic6170]

@@TarzanThomas i dont know stihl 088 doesent hawe handle like this

[@ivicamuzinic6170]

@@TarzanThomas yep you are right 088 magnum old model.

[@EvanDeitrich9]

Do you know old that tree was? and you just cut it down?

[@TarzanThomas]

No and yes :)

[@pnecro1]

Tarzan Thomas uhm , they don't . I aint a tree hugger ..but we shouldn't cut these

[@Trumplican]

@@TarzanThomas lol love it

[@benjaminevans5867]

Is that a bottle jack you used to help bring the tree down and what kind did you use

[@TarzanThomas]

Silvey tree jacks. Each ram is capable of 62 tons of lift. We had four rams in this tree.

[@nicefella1640]

Does anyone know how old the tree was.

[@wreckim]

Simply awesome.

[@DThoms300]

Imagine how long this took with an axe a couple hundred years ago

[@WTMNNJR]

I think I’ve seen a video on it and it was over 2 hours for a normal size redwood.

[@joel.ha.]

they largely used saws. Huge handsaws.

[@johnthomas6961]

Actually two men tag teaming that tree with a misery whip wouldn’t have taken long. Powersaws are a lot easier to operate that’s for sure. That job took a real hard man to do. A good deal of the biggest trees were already cut before the chainsaw was invented. They logged a massive amount of land pretty quickly. And I agree those trees are beautiful but the land was bought and paid for and private owned. No man has the right to tell another man what to do with his property. This is one of the things that makes this country different. Freedom. And telling another man what to do with his belongings is trying to impede their rights of freedom. I am a logger but I’m also an advocate for nature. Trees grow back. They are the most renewable crop that exists. That’s why it’s called tree farming. Calm down people. All the biggest trees are ancient history

[@alpine5551]

Gotta love the comment section for some good laughs! Greetings from the NW!! Keep looking up brother!!

[@TarzanThomas]

Al Pine :)

[@AN-jz3px]

Chainsaw Enthusiasts the world over are salivating over such a job.

[@TGCIII]

Hard to believe how this awesome video went sideways with comments. If we could see more about men gittin it done I think we'd all come away with a better outlook of who we are as Americans. We took an untamed land and made a great nation. Not one man in this video expect food stamps or un employment

[@TarzanThomas]

+TGCIII By god!

[@TomKaren94]

5:40 - tree falls. 6:02 - "Hey, anybody see Dave anywhere?"

[@douglasf.gosple.finegan4553]

Douglassawmil

[@rosewhite---]

approx what is weight of that tree?

[@MrRandolphLSmith]

I am no tree hugger, but seeing such a mighty tree fall, brings a tear to my eye.

[@TarzanThomas]

Randolph Leslie Smith It brings a tear to my eye as well...makes me wish I could go back in time and kill it again.

[@MrRandolphLSmith]

Tarzan Thomas: Taking a snotty pride in killing a tree is a sorry statement for the one of such orientation. Having a bit more humble respect for the harvest better suits the situation, but far be that from prima donna climbers of today, and as for them, in the end, the tree often has it's way. Best watch your spikes sonny, have a little more respect for the harvest that is feeding your offspring, wherein all your pride seems to be placed; if the pride in what your pecker has done exceeds the thankfulness to God for the blessing of your children, you are spiking up the wrong tree.

[@TarzanThomas]

Randolph Leslie Smith I always respected what I did. If we would have had no respect for them, we would not have been good at what we were doing and just beavered them down and fell them wherever, breaking them into matchsticks. Instead we saved every board foot we could so that they could be appreciated when they were used to build something awesome. I just get tired of the same old bullshit comments on here every day, so I feel like giving some bullshit back :)

[@MrRandolphLSmith]

In "bullshit comments", do you mean anti-tree harvesting people? Tree huggers? People ragging on you for felling trees?

[@TarzanThomas]

Randolph Leslie Smith Pretty much...especially when they don't stop to read the description, or to think about what they are going to say before they comment. I mean, really, I could argue so many points on here right now with you, like I have done so many times with other folks, but frankly, I don't have the time or the patience.

[@wyattrox03]

That is some nice high dollar wood they got there

[@TarzanThomas]

Yessir it was. It as a glorious day, and I wish I could go back and do it again.

[@davegarton3752]

These trees are really something!

[@axemastersinc3269]

How much is that one tree worth?

[@wooden891]

Great Loved it, I'm in the Biz back east, all hardwoods, a lot of Hard Maple

[@licensedtoburn]

Do you think you could have found something bigger?

[@sairaqsa]

Good job men, but the guy at 3:48 is absolutely crazy.

[@TheNotoriousMIC]

That is one big tree... impressive skills on display knocking that over.

[@TarzanThomas]

+TheNotoriousMIC Many thanks

[@pinkpriss]

Did you have to relocate a spotted owl or an Earth Firster?

[@oooohsnaaaap]

3:50 Good Lord, why would they crawl in there like that?

[@timothyroatenberry1274]

I'm not a tree huger, but dam guys, so many years of growing and so little time to take it down !!

[@Midwestemergencyphoto]

Awesome Videos man , did I hear some say they needed firewood lol stay safe out there man and look forward to seeing your next adventure

[@TarzanThomas]

Thanks pard. Have been trying to stay more focused at work, so have not taken the time for videos, but I still plan to at some point.

[@Midwestemergencyphoto]

+Tarzan Thomas you are welcome buddy, and I understand gotta do what you have to , to put food on the table , will be waiting with a thumbs up on you next one

[@stewartboreski565]

what was the oldest tree cut down..i hear allot of tales of this tree was this big and it took only 1 day to cut down.. what was your biggest tree you.and your team cut down..

[@TarzanThomas]

+stewart boreski This was it...the only time I ever took the time to video. Average age of old growth, coastal redwood, is 4-600 years.

[@raycity1234]

Not their first day on the job .That is a huge tree.

[@whowuzherreyt]

(12/17/2023) how much did you make from cutting such a large tree???

[@TarzanThomas]

I can't remember how much we made to fall that tree, but it was probably in the range of 3-400 a piece for me and my cutting pardner. The tree itself was probably worth well over a hundred grand in board form.

[@ThreeLittleBirds111]

Left a bit of a hinge ..nice job ..I run a suped-up 272 husky with a 32 inch bar & cutting Douglas Fir/ Spruce & Pine .mainly .what you runnin in the video ???...

[@TarzanThomas]

You gotta leave a lot of hinge with an old growth redwood. The big falling saw was my modified 088, and the smaller saw was my pardners modified 066.

[@stevenking2980]

Good job. I did smaller tree work in the south and I know it's hard work.

[@matthewhughett4989]

A lot of people don't realize that out of this stump, a new tree will appear. Redwoods are like weeds, it will grow back. These trees, as with all living thing, have a life cycle, they my have a longer life span than us, but they die eventually, and regrow. Fire is also a way for old growth to reseed. The underbrush of these forests are so thick, once a fire starts, it's too intense to put out. Select cutting should be part of the plan to keep these forests healthy.

[@ChrisCole-RS4_12]

So true

[@TheJohnhoyt]

+Matthew Hughett looks to me that they cut at least 5 new growth trees just to work.

[@user-zl3kc7ui1n]

+Matthew Hughett The truth ist that most of them are cut down. And they will never return, because we destroyed their invirement, too, They don´t need us to stay healthy. I think , the one who is able to destroy a natural wonder like this, can kill anything and anyone. If you don´t feel fear by cutting a tree like this, somethig is wrong with you. And the shame is, that some people will never recognize this horrible fact. Everything you say, was said about the tiger. Was said about the Lion. Was said about the rhino. Was said about the whales. Was said about.........................!!!

[@matthewhughett4989]

12 34​ REALLY? Have you been to the redwoods in far northern Cali? The environment is fine for them, they're growing like weeds. I think maybe you should go look for yourself before you take someone else's word for it. 

[@billorights7486]

+12 34 Coming from some one who lives in a wood built house, and wipes his Ass with tolit paper.