7 minute read -
Felling a Tree in Your Garden: Rules, Permission and Working Safely
Your right to cut down a tree in your own garden depends on where you live and on the tree itself. Many garden trees can be felled without permission, but trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or standing in a conservation area need consent or notice from your local council first, and you must never disturb an active bird's nest. Felling a tree yourself is only sensible for a small, healthy tree with plenty of clear space around it, and only with the right protective gear.
What will you learn in this article?
- When does a tree need to come down?
- Can you cut down a tree in your own garden?
- When is the best time to fell a tree?
- Can you fell a tree yourself?
- What protective gear do you need?
- How to fell a small tree, step by step
- Is a cordless chainsaw suitable for felling a tree?
- What to do with the stump and wood afterwards
- Frequently asked questions about felling a tree
- In short: felling a tree
When does a tree need to come down?
Good reasons to fell a tree include:
- Danger: the tree is dead, hollow or has started to lean and could fall onto a house, shed, road or cable.
- Disease or pests: the tree is too badly affected to save, or it could infect other trees nearby.
- Damage: roots are pushing against foundations, drains or paving.
- Space and light: the tree has outgrown the garden.
Check first if pruning or crown thinning would solve the problem.
How can you tell a tree is diseased or unstable?
Look for dead branches in the crown, leaves that colour early or fail to appear, loose bark, fungi at the base or on the trunk, cracks or cavities, and a tree that suddenly leans more or where the soil around the base is lifting. If you see one or more of these on a large tree, have it inspected.
Can you cut down a tree in your own garden?
Not always. Before you start, ask your local council if the tree has a Tree Preservation Order or if your property lies in a conservation area. Work on a protected tree needs the council's consent, and in a conservation area you usually have to give the council written notice several weeks before felling.
A few rules apply everywhere:
- Nesting birds: it is an offence to damage or destroy an active nest. That applies all year, but the main breeding season runs roughly from March to August. Some species have extra protection.
- Bats and other protected wildlife: hollow trees can be home to bats, and their roosts are protected by law even when the bats are not there.
- Replacement planting: the council may require you to plant a new tree after felling a protected one.
Felling a protected tree without consent can lead to a heavy fine. Even a dead tree may still be covered, so ask the council before you start.
A tree near the boundary: what to agree with your neighbours
If the tree could fall towards your neighbour's garden, or you need their side to work safely, talk to them before you begin. You are liable for any damage if the tree comes down in the wrong place.
When is the best time to fell a tree?
The best period runs from autumn to late winter, outside the nesting season. The tree is dormant, and without leaves you can see the crown and its lean more clearly. Do not fell in strong wind, on icy or slippery ground or when the ground is frozen, because slipping and kickback become far more dangerous.
Can you fell a tree yourself?
Felling it yourself is only sensible for a small tree that stands on its own, grows straight and is healthy. As a rule of thumb, the trunk should be clearly thinner than the guide bar of your chainsaw, and there must be enough room all round for the whole tree to fall without hitting anything. Chainsaw training is strongly recommended.
Call in a tree surgeon if:
- the tree is taller than the clear space in the direction of fall;
- there are houses, sheds, cars, fences, pipes or cables nearby;
- the tree leans, is diseased or hollow, or has dead wood in the crown;
- it has to be taken down in sections using a cherry picker or climbing gear;
- there are overhead power or phone lines close by.
The cost depends on the size of the tree, how easy it is to reach and if you want the stump and wood taken away, so get a few quotes.
What protective gear do you need?
Working with a chainsaw calls for proper personal protective equipment:
- Safety helmet with a mesh visor and ear defenders
- Chainsaw trousers or chaps with cut protection
- Chainsaw boots with cut protection
- Sturdy work gloves, ideally with chainsaw protection
- Close-fitting clothing with nothing loose that could catch
Never work alone, so someone can call for help if needed. Never use a chainsaw from a ladder or above shoulder height.
How to fell a small tree, step by step
Prepare the site
Check the rules with your council and look for nests in the tree. Decide on the direction of fall: usually the side the tree already leans towards or where the crown is heaviest. Clear a zone of at least twice the tree's height all round. Remove obstacles from around the base and plan two escape routes, diagonally backwards and away from the direction of fall.
Cut the felling notch
The notch (or sink cut) is a wedge-shaped gap on the side where you want the tree to fall. First make a sloping cut downwards, then a horizontal cut that meets the end of the first one exactly. The notch should go about a fifth to a quarter of the way into the trunk. The line of the notch points in the direction of fall.
Make the back cut
On the opposite side of the trunk, make a horizontal back cut a few centimetres above the base of the notch. Do not cut all the way through: leave a strip of wood between the back cut and the notch. This hinge steers the tree; cut through it and the fall becomes unpredictable. On a slightly thicker trunk, you can tap a felling wedge into the back cut to push the tree the right way and stop the bar from getting pinched.
Step away
As soon as the tree starts to move, pull the saw out of the cut, stop the chain and walk away along your escape route. Keep watching the crown, as branches can snap and spring back.
Remove the branches and cut up the trunk
Cut off the branches working from the base towards the top, on the side away from you, and watch out for branches under tension. Then cut the trunk into lengths. Avoid cutting into the soil, which blunts the chain at once.
Is a cordless chainsaw suitable for felling a tree?
For small trees, thin trunks and branches, a cordless chainsaw from the Maxxpack 18V range works well: it is quiet, starts instantly and produces no fumes. Check the guide bar length in your saw's specifications to see what trunk thickness it can handle. Thick trunks and large trees are a job for a professional.
Keep the chain sharp and correctly tensioned, and check the chain oil before you start. Read our guide on how to sharpen a chainsaw chain if cuts are getting slow. Always remove the battery before touching the chain.
What to do with the stump and wood afterwards
You can dig out a small stump, or have it ground out with a stump grinder, which you can hire or leave to a gardener or tree surgeon. Our guide to tree stump removal explains the options. Left in place, a stump will rot away on its own over several years. Season the wood for firewood or chip it for mulch.
Frequently asked questions about felling a tree
Can I cut down a dead tree without permission?
Not necessarily. Dead trees can still be covered by a Tree Preservation Order or conservation area rules, although some exemptions apply. Check with your local council before you start.
How thick can a tree be to fell it yourself?
There is no fixed limit, but the trunk should be clearly thinner than your guide bar and the tree should stand in open space. If in doubt, leave it to a tree surgeon.
In short: felling a tree
Check with your local council for Tree Preservation Orders and conservation area rules, and never disturb active nests. Fell only small, healthy, free-standing trees yourself, in autumn or winter, with full chainsaw protection and a clear notch, back cut and hinge. Leave anything large, leaning, diseased or near buildings or cables to a qualified, insured tree surgeon.
