Riggs Tree Service performing Right-of-Way Maintenance in Woodland Shores.

At the end of last month (February) WSPOA President Mike Bevens made the following statement on the Woodland Shores OK Property Owners facebook page announcing right-of-way maintenance along power lines in our area:

FYI. Starting here soon. The REC tree contractor will be coming thru clearing the main power lines. This does not include the secondary lines to your homes. They will be removing all trees and large shrubs within 15’ each side of the main line. All limbs from trees outside the 15’ will be trimmed back. WSPOA has no control over this. A representative from REC will
speak with you if you have concerns. They will leave the wood for firewood if you like. You can also have the mulch as well. When they are on your property you can talk to them.

Well, folks, after a week or so of marking trees, Riggs Tree Service has started cutting, and it’s an impressive sight to see. These guys are fast, careful, and skilled at tree removal. They did a great job with the three trees marked for removal on our property — one of which was uncomfortably close to the Woodland Shores entrance sign — and they cleaned up to the point where I’m almost nonchalant about losing the trees. Riggs Tree Service has made it painless, and even though I don’t like having trees taken down, I do see how removing trees along power lines is beneficial to the community so I can’t really complain.

We knew they’d be coming for our trees (because they’d been marked) but we didn’t know when, so it was still a bit of a shock to arrive home yesterday afternoon to find our yard covered with branches and three of our trees reduced to big ol’ poles sticking up out of the ground. Riggs had come through with a huge circular saw on a truck-mounted telescoping pole and dropped all of the branches — cutting up the bigger pieces into firewood sized chunks, and piling them nicely for us to carry off and stack. Then, this morning, they shoved all of the remaining branch litter down the road into a pile for shredding and quickly (and safely) took the trunks down.

The Riggs Tree Service guys are very busy, but they’re willing to answer questions when they see you. They told us that they’d cut the trunks and big branches to firewood length (or to whatever log length you specify), shred it into mulch, or both. So if you want the wood, be sure to talk to them when you see them. I didn’t think to ask what happens to the wood if you do not want it left behind on your lot. If you know the answer to that question, please leave it in the comments box, below.

Riggs Tree Service’s website lists the following contact information:

Michael Blain Jr.
Area Manager
918-995-0173
COUNTIES: Craig, Ottawa, Mayes, Delaware

Riggs Tree Service, Inc. Corporate Office – Grove, OK
P.O. Box 453225 Grove, Oklahoma 74345
Phone: 918-786-9956
Fax: 918-786-1879
Mobile: 918-801-8182