As much as we value trees, regrettably they, like us, have a limited life span, suffer from disease and decay, and can conflict with the spaces and buildings in which we inhabit. If we can manage a tree without removing it we will but sometimes trees will need to be dismantled. In some cases, this can be done by simply felling the tree but in small urban spaces, this is unusual. Most trees, therefore, require dismantling piece by piece, using ropes, pulleys, friction devices, tag lines, and a good deal of skill from both the climbers (the guys up the tree) and the ground staff (the groundies).