Crane-Assisted Tree Removal on Goodview Avenue North, Oakdale, MN
Heavy Crane Picks, Ash Tree Removal, Precision Yard Protection
Oakdale’s got those classic, established suburban streets lined with mature trees that give every lot a cozy feel. When I pulled up to the property on Goodview Avenue North in Oakdale, it was clear the shade canopy was a huge part of the yard’s charm. But having towering, mature trees right next to the home’s roofline means when those trees start showing severe decay, getting them down safely becomes a top priority before the next summer storm rolls through.
The main job here was taking down two large Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) trees tucked tight against the right side of the house, measuring 24 inches and 23 inches in diameter. Both ashes were showing heavy signs of emerald ash borer damage and dieback, posing a direct threat to the home’s roofline, siding, and nearby garden beds. Because space was tight between the foundation and property line, traditional notch-and-drop cutting was completely out of the question. To clear the hazard without touching the house, our crew mapped out a precision crane-assisted tree removal plan.
To pull off these heavy lifts safely, our crew positioned our 60-ton crane out in the driveway to pick the timber directly over the roofline. Our operators deployed outriggers equipped with heavy ground pads to spread the load, carefully setting up near the garden beds without causing structural soil compaction. Up in the canopy, our guys utilized the Nifty Lift SD 64 man lift—riding on low-impact turf tires—to reach the upper limbs, strapping each heavy section into the crane harness before making clean cuts. On the pavement, our tracked skid steer caught each section as the crane floated it down, keeping heavy timber entirely off the lawn.
Once both ash trunks were stripped to low-stump cuts, our team loaded all the heavy wood and limbs straight into our main grapple truck for total haul-away. The crew spent plenty of time hand-raking the lawn, clearing away scattered twigs, and blowing down the entire driveway and walkways until everything looked spotless. Seeing the home completely clear of dangerous ash timber without a single scratch on the garden beds made this Oakdale project a total success.
