Who's Responsible?

[islandgoddess]

Here's a question. We were up to the lake over the weekend and there was a large tree lodged underneath my dock which will cost quite a few bucks for me to have removed. This thing was clearly cut down by someone and dropped in the water. A visit to the town office was met with a "if it's on your dock, it's yours.." response which is kind of what I expected. Any suggestions or should I just suck it up?
Thanks[/QUOTE]

I think you should look around the neighborhood for a fresh stump first. If you find one, lug the log to their dock and they can own it.
Investigate the surroundings and see if you find evidence. If its a big tree, you might find traces of saw dust as well.. I disagree that if its on your dock, you own it. Thats someone's way of saying they don't want to help out a fellow neighbor. If you live on the bear island part of the lake. I'll help you move it. I don't know how to use a chain saw, but I'll do what I can to help you. Advantages: pull it up onto your lawn, and dry it out for firewood and don't share it. He Hee. Good luck to you. Nan at Bear Island

[Gatto Nero]

make lemonade.

The same thing happened to me last year. I pulled it out last spring, cut it last summer and let it sit in my yard over the winter. Now it's campfire wood delivered about 10 feet from my fire pit.

[Airwaves]

Pull the tree out, cut it up and sell it to folks like me as camp firewood!

Even if you find the stump it came from there is no way you can legally prove anything.

The tree is yours, sorry

[ApS]

I'm mostly agreeing with islandgoddess: Your "deductible" may make an insurance claim ill-advised unless there's your dock was damaged as a result.

If you pay someone to remove it, you may want to locate the source in order to be reimbursed. It's possible the land owner "contracted-out" the cutting, and assumed the cutter cleaned up the debris. (And was totally unaware of your circumstance).

You don't say what kind (or size) the tree is. If it's a "soggy" wood, it may sink of its own accord and you can tow it to deep water. (Black birch is a soggy wood, but it's woodstove-fodder here).

If your Town won't help, perhaps check with your County on your "ill-received" littering?

Originally Posted by Gatto Nero

"...The same thing happened to me last year. I pulled it out last spring, cut it last summer and let it sit in my yard over the winter. Now it's campfire wood delivered about 10 feet from my fire pit."

Unsplit firewood, even not seasoned, is good to put in the woodstove before bedtime, too. Close the damper, and it will smolder the whole night. You'll awaken to a cozy domicile.

Ignoring all this, I'd still save the bottom 6" of the tree. It will then be easy to match to the stump—which I'm thinking may be within a few hundred feet from your dock. Drifting items tend to hug the shoreline.