Lots of free old growth Douglas Fir on SF Craigslist...

[Bob Cleek]

But as always, there's a catch.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/zip/3077473762.html

[Redeye]

you need a license to fell trees on private land?

[Nicholas Carey]

you need a license to fell trees on private land?

You probably need to be a licensed contractor or arborist and carry a suitably high liability policy. Oddly enough, some people — not to mention their insurers (their insurers' attorneys) — seem to get all grumpy if you drop a big tall tree on their house or car.

[Mrleft8]

"Old growth"? Not likely... Third or fourth growth, I'd believe.
You'd probably not be surprised at the number of calls I get every year (especially after a big storm) from people who think that I would like to come and cut down the 13" Walnut, Oak, Maple, Cherry tree that's in their back yard, and pay them for the honor, because I make furniture.....
"Can't you use it to make something? My friend says it's very valuable..."

[Bob Smalser]

These are knotty, sun-grown trees of relatively recent vintage, some of the knots too big to mill 2X4's. And only four trees total. Sorry, Charlie. I'm not moving heavy equipment around for a few utility-grade 6X6's and a half dozen cords of firewood.

Cosmo Lengro’s Boatbuilding Voodoo Hall of Fame
One-liners taken from a decade+ of reading boatbuilder’s on-line forums.

3) The older, larger and prettier the tree, the greater its value. Hence residential yard trees are great sources of free lumber. (All those knots, nails, concrete and rot merely make milling it more exciting.)

Free Lunch Corollary: Free Tree (Noun): 1. The result of an owner choking on an arborist’s estimate for the costs of removal without damage to adjacent structures and utilities. (And is willing to have you risk it sans appropriate knowledge, experience, license, equipment and insurance.) 2. See also: a) Scams. “Swapping $900 worth of arborist work for $200 in firewood.” b) Idioms: “When two fools meet…”