How do I dispose of a rotten tree trunk?

[redjam]

We had an old dead silver birch in our garden which we got a gardener to take down a while ago - though he couldn't dispose of it for us, unfortunately. The trunk is in two sections of about six foot each - and it's basically just stayed in our side return for the last year while we dither about how to get rid of it. It's too big to go in our car to take to the dump and Southwark won't take it in their bulky waste collections. What do people do in these situations? Do we need to rent a chainsaw or something to cut it in smaller pieces?

[rendelharris]

I cut up a 12" diameter tree last year using a reciprocating saw borrowed from a friend, it was pretty easy - sure they can be hired but B&Q do one for ?25, and they're a very useful tool to have around, they'll get through pretty much anything. Anything bigger than that and you'll probably need a small chainsaw (be careful!) or, if you fancy a bit of fitness training, an axe.

[Huggers]

if you chop it all up and post again, lots of people will come and take it away for logs

[redjam]

Hmm, don't fancy wielding an axe. But sounds like we need to look into hiring/buying a decent saw, sigh... Good idea about posting it as logs for firewood - need to inspect it properly to check it's not too rotten.

Or we could just leave it another year and pretend it's not there (our brilliant strategy so far).

[Robert Poste's Child]

If you leave it there you could call it an insect sanctuary. It won't change anything but you'll probably feel better that way. (I have a 'wilderness' garden.)

[Michael Palaeologus]

Put it on "Items Offered". Somebody will take it for logging if it is free to collect.

[Jules-and-Boo]

leave it where it is and the bugs will love it!

If it's huge, you could chop some of it down and leave the logs in a pile.

[adonirum]

Unfortunately, redjam, it's not possible to hire a chainsaw these days without the appropriate certificates, but you could buy an "Aldi Sunday Special" for about ?60 or so. I have had one and although nowhere near as good as my Stihl, it will do the job for you.

[redjam]

Yeah, I've been telling myself it's great for the insect population. Unfortunately it's not great for the view from our kitchen window, which looks like a badly maintained timber yard.

Anyway, my husband says he's going to get out there with an axe. This all sounds very manly and swoonworthy, until you remember that the closest he ever gets to manual labour in his daily life is carrying his laptop. Oh well, who needs fingers anyway?

[intexasatthe moment]

It might be easier to saw it up with a hand saw .

I'm a pretty feeble 67 year old female and an old saw and I've surprised myself at how possible it is to saw through slim tree trunks .And yours is dead and rotten .

[srisky]

Contact a tree surgeon and see if they could dispose of it (for a fee)

[niall]

attach a couple of anvils to it, hire a row boat and drop it in the north sea.