Multi-Tree Removal & Shoreline Clearing on Olson Lake Trail North, Lake Elmo, MN
Multi-Species Removals, Shoreline Protection, Low-Impact Turf Access
Lake Elmo has that undeniable Washington County appeal, where rolling wooded lots wrap right around pristine lakes and quiet residential drives. When I pulled up to the property on Olson Lake Trail North in Lake Elmo, it was easy to see why the property owner fell in love with the location. But living right on the water means you’ve got to keep a close eye on mature timber, especially when multiple trees start showing structural decline right above driveways, garage roofs, and delicate shoreline banks.
We had a full schedule lined up across the lot, targeting fifteen declining trees that were starting to threaten property assets. The hit list included a cluster of nine Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) trees scattered from the front yard to the water’s edge, two American Elms (Ulmus americana) along the wood line, a declining Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) right off the driveway, a Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) pinching the right side of the garage, and two mature White and Red Oaks (Quercus spp.) sitting on tight property boundaries. Safely executing this multi-species tree removal project meant carefully picking down upper limbs so nothing crashed into the home, neighboring lines, or soft waterfront soil.
To navigate between the garage, property lines, and delicate shoreline turf without tearing up the grass, Rob and the crew set up our Nifty Lift SD 64 man lift. Armed with extra-wide, low-impact turf tires, the lift let us reach high over the garage roof and driveway to dismantle limbs piece by piece without leaving ruts. On the ground, our tracked skid steer with a heavy-duty grapple bucket moved right behind the sawyers, catching timber as it came down and keeping heavy logs off the lawn and out of the lake banks.
Once every single trunk was cut flush down to the ground, our main grapple truck backed into the driveway to haul away the massive piles of hardwood logs, pine branches, and brush. The guys spent plenty of time hand-raking the lawn, clearing loose twigs along the shoreline, and blowing down the driveway until everything looked immaculate. Leaving the property with a clear, safe view over Olson Lake was the perfect way to wrap up a great day in Washington County.
