Salty Gulch

Lake Forest Park is a city 10 miles or so north of Seattle. Much of the native fir trees have regrown from the clear cutting done over 100 years ago, creating an environment of deeply forested homes. The lower left tax photo shows the original small two-bedroom house with the subject tree partially cut off on the right. The home owners had placed decorative stones around the base of the 30 +/- year old tree. Nine years later, the lower right tax photo shows the addition of a carport between the house & the tree.

a photo record of a fir tree’s stunning rate of growth

In the early 80’s, the owner built an ambitious two-story addition (lower left tax photo) which greatly increased the overall square footage of the house. There is a network of power lines above which may have been the reason why they decided against removing the tree, even though it was now directly adjacent to the house.

The lower right photo was taken shortly after we took possession, now 30 years later. The tree’s roots had begun to lift the corner of the home’s foundation & wind storms would drop large branches on the master bedroom roof causing broken tiles & shattered skylights. A pine cone dropped from high above would hit the skylight with a loud craaaaack! and instantly bounce any peaceful sleepers out of bed.

A mature Douglas Fir tree towers over the house. With little competition for light, this tree attained a growth rate of around 2 feet per year.

The tree was carefully removed by coordinating a tree crane service with the power company. The street was closed and the power lines above were temporarily bypassed adjacent to the tree. This allowed the area to be “made safe” for the first step: the removal of all the tree’s limbs. The large extending crane then secured the trunk & made cuts at 20’-30’ segments so the timber could be safely lowered & salvaged. The limbs were ground up for mulch & the remaining lowest portion of the trunk was cut up by chainsaw due to its proximity to the home’s exterior wall.

an unfortunate (but necessary) end to a magnificent tree

We came away from this project with a far greater respect for the Pacific Northwest’s native trees. They start their journey to the skies humbly enough but given time, the good rain & enough light become towering behemoths. The original smaller scaled home would have suffered occasional damage from dropping limbs, given its proximity to the growing tree. The addition, however, was built out to within inches of its ever widening trunk which created an untenable relationship between house & tree.

Biophilic design is the goal of connecting us more closely to nature. It is an important consideration when planning a new home or addition, not only for ourselves but for future generations. Our trees will continue growing toward full maturity long after we’ve moved on and the home’s design should accommodate their need for space.

A stump rock garden is all that remains. Eventually gravel fill may be added as the lifted corner foundation settles into the rotting tree base & roots.