A tree felling plan is the short, deliberate look a sawyer takes before cutting a tree down whole: which way it wants to go, what is wrong with it, where it is going to land, how the cutter gets away, and who else needs to be out of the way. Experienced fellers do this in their heads in a minute or two, and that is where things get missed. This template writes it down for one tree: the lean and defects, the felling direction, two escape routes, the notch, hinge and back cut, the fall zone and the people cleared from it, the warning call, and then how the tree actually fell. Fill it in here and download a PDF without an account, or speak while you walk, and the document writes itself.
Read the tree before you pick a direction
Start with what the tree will do on its own. Look at the lean from two directions at right angles, note where the heavy limbs are, and walk around the base looking for decay, cracks, fungus and lifting roots. Look up for dead tops and broken limbs hung in the crown: vibration from the saw can bring them down on the cutter, and they are a leading cause of felling injuries.
Record anything that changes the cut. A hollow at the base reduces the wood available for the hinge. A heavy forward lean can make the trunk split upward during the back cut, a barber chair, and usually calls for a different back cut. Wood under tension from storm damage needs to be released in a planned order.
Direction, the lay and two ways out
Choose a felling direction that the lean and the hinge can actually achieve, and a lay that is clear of buildings, lines, roads and other trees it could hang up in. Then clear two escape routes before cutting. A commonly taught layout is one route on each side, angled back roughly 45 degrees from the line of fall, never straight behind the stump, where the butt can kick back.
The form asks you to confirm the routes are clear of brush and trip hazards. A route you cannot move along quickly while watching the tree is not a route.
Notch, hinge and back cut
The notch aims the tree, the hinge steers it and holds it on line, and the back cut releases it. The form records which notch you will use, how deep, the hinge you plan to leave, the back cut method, and whether wedges, a felling lever, a pull line or a tree jack will help the tree over. The figures in the hints are the commonly taught starting points; your training, the species and the tree in front of you decide.
Afterward, a photo of the stump is the best record of whether the plan was carried out: notch depth and angle, the hinge, and where the back cut met it.
The fall zone and the people in it
Anyone not involved in felling is commonly kept out of an area at least two tree lengths from the stump in every direction, and further on slopes or where the tree could slide, roll or throw limbs. The form records what is in that zone, who has been cleared, and who is guarding roads, paths and driveways so nobody walks in.
If any part of the tree, a rope or the equipment could reach an electrical line, the plan for the lines is recorded with the approach distance your qualification, state and utility rules require. A tree that could contact a line is not a felling job for an unqualified crew.
Common questions
When should a written felling plan be used?
For any tree being felled whole near people, buildings, roads or lines, any tree with defects, and for trainees and new sawyers. Many crews use it as a check for every felling over a set diameter. A tree that does not fit the plan should be taken down in pieces instead.
How far should people stay away from a tree being felled?
A distance of at least two tree lengths is commonly used for people not involved in the felling, with more on slopes. Your employer's procedure, ANSI Z133 and any OSHA rules that apply to your work set the requirements; this form records what was done.
What is a barber chair and how does the plan help avoid it?
A barber chair is when the trunk splits vertically during the back cut and the upper part kicks back or sideways, often with great force. It is most likely in trees with a heavy forward lean. Recording the lean and choosing a back cut method suited to it, such as a bore cut that leaves a release strap, is part of planning for it.
Should I fill in the outcome section if the tree fell as planned?
Yes. A record of trees that went exactly where they were aimed is as useful as a record of the ones that did not; over time it shows which plans and which sawyers are reliable. A hang-up, a split or a tree that struck something is recorded as a safety finding.