We use light aluminium four stage ladders, put double walled paper sacks over the nests, bind it closed then cut the branch. The branch is instantly picked up by people in closed work suits, thick gauntlets and goggles who chuck them straight into the heart of a very fierce bonfire. Most pines will take a ladder against the trunk up until a good 12 metres, although we have relatively few that are that high (actually higher since that is up the trunk to that level) so often simply cut off the crown and lower it down for people to put over the sacks before it touches the ground. This year it should be now, any normal year up until roughly the first week of March!