Today the tree-cutting team consists of myself, Gary and Mikael. We're going to cut down a tall tree that is inside the boundary of a busy timber yard. It's Saturday – not a working day for the yard – and it is far easier to remove a tree when no-one else is around. As supervisor, I first pop into our office to sort out the paperwork for the day, which includes the risk assessments. Then I look at the most up-to-date weather forecast as wind and rain make our job much more difficult. Luckily, we've picked a good day.

Next, we load up the equipment – things like petrol-driven chainsaws of varying sizes, helmets and waterproofs, spades, rakes and other tools, etc. must all go on the truck before the three of us set off. On arrival at the site, we have a quick discussion on the procedure for the day. After that, one of us – today it's Gary – goes up the tree to quickly select his anchor point. This is the position from which he'll cut down the tree. It must be high enough to enable access throughout the tree's branches, but also have sufficient strength to support the climber. The first few big branches can be cut from the tree in large pieces and dropped into the yard, so we make good progress during the morning and start our wood pile there.

Having removed the more accessible branches, we have lunch and then set up a simple system to reach the smaller upper branches. This involves placing a pulley in the tree and using thick rope to drag the branches down. When they're cut, these will fall further away – outside the boundary of the yard. On the other side of the perimeter fence is a wide grass verge and then a footpath, where I set up a number of signs to alert the public to our activities. Working alongside a road requires vigilance, so I monitor the movements of pedestrians, and as Gary starts work, I watch what he's doing, so I can ensure safety. Once the branches are on the ground, I throw them back over the fence to Mikael, who cuts them up and feeds the machine that dices them into very small pieces called wood chippings.