Selling Dead Ash Timber

Our company receives literally hundreds of calls regarding dead Ash timber and yard trees.

Some of these calls are homeowners looking to have the trees removed from their yard cost effectively. Others are timber owners hoping to salvage some commercial value from the dead trees. In either case there is an excellent chance that your Ash, even if the canopy is 100% gone, still has some value.

As has been discussed many times on this blog, the Ash population of Ohio and the surrounding states is being decimated by an invasive Asian beetle.

These trees are dying at an alarming rate. Once they have died—when all or most of the canopy is gone—the trees slowly but surely rot, thereby losing their commercial value.

For Dead Ash Trees in Your Yard

Ash trees in your yard will die.

Ash trees in your yard will die. Unfortunately, except in the case where the lot was part of a woods before building, it is unlikely the Ash in your yard has commercial value. Still, even if the trees were once part of an undeveloped timber tract, questions of accessibility and conditions will determine whether the trees can be harvested, resulting in money going to the land owner or removed, likely resulting in a bill.

If your Ash trees need removed rather than harvested, call Timber Works for a quote. Because we have markets for the fiber resulting from the removal, we bid very aggressively.

For Dead Ash Timber in the Woods

This is the best scenario both for salvaging commercial value and in limiting the damage to your property resulting from the Ash stand’s decline.

Depending on where your property is located geographically, the Ash trees in your woods may be untouched by Emerald Ash Borer or they may be totally decimated.

If you live in the south, your Ash stand is likely healthy and should continue to be managed, without devoting resourced to developing the standing Ash. In other words, economically viable Ash should be removed as usual when they are greater than 18 to 20 inches diameter at chest height (DBH).

If you’re Ash stand is actively on the decline, a different strategy should be recommended. If there is significant value in the stand, it may well be wise to pre-emptively harvest this Ash in order to accrue as much of the value as possible. In these situations, we’ve cut trees as small as 14″ DBH to sell as saw timber.

Your Ash trees are going to come down. If they are in your yard, they should be brought down by a professional, insured timber company. If they are in your woods, you should act fact to remove the commercial value before it is lost.

In either case, contact Timber Works today.