Removing a large jobo tree to unblock the access trail

A few weeks back a large “jobo” tree fell onto the access trail and blocked it. One can pass but it is difficult and riding a horse it is adviseable to get off the saddle and walk.

These trees can grow up to 30 m in height and this one looks like it was quite tall. When it fell it took a few smaller trees with it.

This Sunday we took the chainsaw and started to break it down. First the roots and then step by step the trunk in smaller pieces that can be moved by men.

Then the first piece of the big trunk got attacked. This “jobo” tree has some glue like fluid in their sapwood that together with the sawdust requires the operator to constantly clean the chain of the saw.

The trunk was also thicker than our 30” blade can cut so Luis and Rigu had to use some tricks to get through.

After a while Jose, the son of our neighbor Didimo, returned from the farm further up the trail. They had intented to bring our two bulls early in the morning to the farm while we work on the fallen tree and do other work. Unfortunately these two animals decided not to go all the way to the farm. They threw themselves on the ground short before reaching the farm. So we will let them stay with Jose’s cattle for a few days and then bring a group of Jose’s together with ours to the farm. It will be easier to form a larger group than to make two angry bulls go where you want them to go.

Everybody was helping and even Jose’s son (10 years old and acting like a grown up man) wanted to help pushing this piece off the trail.

It turned out to be too heavy so Luis cut a small but iron like tree and made a thick stick out of it.

With that the piece finally moved and rolled down to the river.

The remaining pieces were cut and thrown downhill as well.

“jobo” trees don’t have any useful wood for construction or furniture. They are fruit trees and their wood is highly receptible to insect and fungus attacks. Before Luis and Rigu started cutting the trunk into pieces Luis stood on the far end and jumped a bit up and down. Although the trunk is very thick it moved easily. Throwing the pieces downhill towards the river is no loss at all. We cleared the trail and that’s what counts.

18 Nov 2009

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