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THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - Along with doing carpentry work, a Fort Smith couple offers a specialized service – tree removal.

Tim and Eileen Labell of Fort Smith own and operate T&E Services, which specializes in carpentry and tree removal. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Tim and Eileen Labell do the work through their recently-formed company, T&E Services.

"I've been doing this for quite a few years," said Tim Labell. "We just started the company in May."

Tim climbs trees and does the actual cutting – often removing a tree in sections from the top down.

"I work my way up taking the limbs off, and then I take the top off and chunk it down in pieces," he explained.

Tim uses climbing gear, including ropes and spurs, to get up high into a tree.

Sometimes he puts a rope on a tree and Eileen Labell pulls it down in a safe direction.

"I usually pull the trees over when he cuts them off," she said, adding she also cuts up the trees with a chainsaw once they're on the ground.

Eileen is the spotter on the ground to ensure it is safe for a tree or section of tree to fall.

"If we have to fall them towards the road, I watch for vehicles and I stop them for safety reasons," she said.

Tim started to work at tree removal in British Columbia about 20 years ago, about the same time he became a carpenter.

"It was on-the-job training for me," he said. "I started out as a ground person there and worked my way up."

Tim, 47, was born in Prince George, B.C., while Eileen, 40, is from Fort Smith.

Tim moved to Fort Smith about 14 years ago, and first had a company called Tim's Woodcutting, but removed trees from properties, as well.

The biggest tree he removed in British Columbia was about six feet in diameter, while the largest one in Fort Smith was about 30 inches in diameter and roughly 70 feet high.

Fort Smith trees are mainly poplar, spruce, jack pine and cottonwood.

Tim said property owners have trees removed for a number of reasons, but mostly for safety.

"People have trees that are leaning or dangerous to other properties or their property," he said.

Others are concerned about fire mitigation or want to clear an area for a garden or new building.

Tim said he is not scared of heights and he finds removing trees to be an exciting job.

"You get a bit of a rush when the top goes over," he said. "You go for a little swing."

However, he noted it could be dangerous. "I slipped a few times and hurt my shoulders."

Safety means being properly strapped onto the tree and ensuring the spurs are sunk in deep enough.

"I was climbing a dry tree the other day and spurs didn't want to go into it," Tim said. "I slipped a couple of times on that. I didn't hurt myself, but you've got to be careful."

Eileen also said she enjoys the rush of helping to bring down a tree.

"When I pull a tree over and it falls down precisely where we want it, it feels good afterwards," she said.

Eileeen doesn't climb trees and hasn't since she was a child.

However, she said she might try it one day.

Along with joining forces for tree removal, Tim and Eileen also work together on a variety of carpentry jobs.

"I usually cut the lumber for Tim," Eileen noted. "He'll give me measurements and I measure it out for him."

The Labells are now hoping to offer their services – both carpentry and tree removal – in Hay River.

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