If you type in "felling a big cedar" on youtube or a similar search you can come up with hundreds of videos of old growth cedars coming down. Looks like most of them a rotten at the base and shatter when they hit the ground. My question is are those trees even worth anything? Or are those trees just being felled to make room for tree farms? Seems terribly wasteful.
From contributor Jo
Wondering the difference from standing to down , if down is where the (sick , dead , etc..) tree is headed . My trees that appear so usually make smoke , boiler runs about 9 months . If the shatter wood goes for good use , does that not constitute worst wood first (managed) . Old trees , perhaps should not be referred to as "growth " but grown . Saplings or new trees and forests imply growth to me . Not formally educated on such matters , just my h.o. .Have a good one !
From contributor Ma
Large old growth Cedar are mostly hollow. Many will split and shatter when felled. These trees are so big that even the split and shattered pieces are very valuable and can be very large. I salvaged a cedar that split into slabs that were 3' thick. Even slabs that are 6" and over in thickness are great for milling into lumber. The smaller ones make beautiful posts and rails. Short pieces that are near shattered parts will still make shake and shingle blocks. (selling for $500-$800 per cord) Just a few comments from an old Cedar rat.
