The Official U.S. Maple Syrup Almanac 2015 | Page 52

1

Using basic trigonometry ( Law of Right Triangles) we’re able to estimate the height of a tree before we fell it. All
you need is a stick equal in length to the distance from your eye to the end of your outstretched arm.

HOW
FELL
TREE
TO

A

52

C

utting down a tree takes
careful planning and
a little math. Brett McLeod,
an associate professor of forestry & natural resources at
Paul Smith’s College in New
York, offers this step by step.
McLeod is also the author
of The Woodland Homestead:
How to Make your Land More
Productive and Live More SelfSufficiently in the Woods.

2

Holding your arm
straight, continue
backing up until the top
of tree is equal to the
top of the stick in your
hand. Be sure the bottom of the stick is even
with the base of the tree.

U.S. Maple Syrup Almanac

2015