No, of course you can do that. Just take care not to saw into the living trunk. Not possible from this view to determine if they are both the same plant or not. But it doesn't matter.

+oM

Oh okay thanks! Yeah, it's pretty rotted as you can see. There were a couple 3 or so foot long rotted trunk pieces on the ground, now they are standing upright by the shed under that white metal to shield from rain. (They are soaked through and I'd like to burn them). They are super brittle so I assume with this I could almost just tear it away. So I'll do a clean cut probably halfway across and see if i can push it off. Go an inch or so further until I can so I don't knick the good wood. Then just clean up by hand.

In case curiosity strikes ya, here are the other few little guys I chose to save in the area, just since I'd brought it up.

Instead of burning those sections of rotted trunk and creating needless pollution, look at hugelkultur. Your neighbors will like it more.

http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/

Well, we have a big outdoor fireplace that we use very regularly was just going throw in there but hey, that is really cool! Even if I wasn't looking to have a raised bed, burying them is certainly an option I hadn't thought about.

burning wood is not pollution ..

but.. just lay it down somewhere.. and spend a decade watching mother nature rot it away ... bugs.. shrooms... all kinds of life ...

walk thru any natural forest.. there is stuff laying all around... position it artfully ... and declare it garden art ...

it goes without saying.. there is only one tree in your pic.. and a dead stump .. no one would call it two trees ..

i suspect.. the rot is down thru the dead part.. and probably working on the live part ... i see a structure to the left.. and a slight lean in that direction ... i am not sure... you wont have a problem.. in the years to come ... and in my world.. anything with rot.. that can fall on my house or garage.. has a limited life potential life span ...

i am not sure you should keep it

ken

I hadn't thought about just letting it be a part of the landscape. That's not a terrible thought either. As for the tree, it's small, looks bigger than it is I think. If it managed to fall toward that detached garage.. it would be okay.

..I'm finding the hugelkultur to be extremely intriguing. Great webpage! I've sent it to my father in law too, who is a master backyard gardener, he'll like it.

@ ken_adrian....I've burned wood for Winter heat every year since 1976, and have always been concerned about the pollution I was creating thru incomplete combustion (smoke) and particulate matter (fine ash). Thanks for assuaging my guilt!!!

I burn plenty of wood in my bon fire pit. I am split on if it is the natural course of things or air pollution. probably ok if you are on a large lot acres in size brut I would hate to have EVERYONE in a neighborhood burning.

That said, I have given a good amount of Fraxinus americana wood to a fella to heat his home. Didn't feel guilty about it.