Pollarding question: Chainsaw v Axe.

[Sal]

Recently read this article:

 

http://frontpage.woodland-trust.org.uk/ancient-tree-forum/atfinternational/spain/pdf/AncientPollards.pdf

 

"These trees will be re-inspected in 2009 to work out whether there is any difference in the trees reaction to the different pruning techniques.

Some trees were also pruned with both axe and chainsaw."

 

Does anyone know if the trees were re-inspected/what the results were and whether they were documented anywhere?

 

Cheers

[silky fox]

interesting article Sal. some nice pics

[David Humphries]

I was fortunate enough to have been on the return trip in 2009.

We went back to compare the 2 techniques & to record the terminal bud scars from different cardinal points and at different heights within the canopies.

 

Helen & Ted were back in the area last October and had a look again at some of the target trees but I don't think there was any climbing that time.

 

Here's a thread on it from the week we were there.

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/picture-forum/11489-study-tour-basque-region-trees.html

 

 

 

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[silky fox]

Wonderful pictures showing the effects on trees after hundereds of years of Ancient tree farming tecniques...like the shot of the religeous icon set in the wood...beautiful country! Have a happy New Year David!

[David Humphries]

Does anyone know if the trees were re-inspected/what the results were and whether they were documented anywhere ?

 

We used a proforma put together for the trip by David Lonsdale, and the stats were then passed on to (I think) Manchester Uni to be number crunched & assesed. I don't believe the results have been published yet, but the recent return trip may be part of a final summation. So ther may be something in the pipeline.

 

Wonderful pictures showing the effects on trees after hundereds of years of Ancient tree farming tecniques...like the shot of the religeous icon set in the wood...beautiful country! Have a happy New Year David!

 

Really inspiring trip it was Paul, couldn't stop clicking away.

The beauty & social history of the area have been well & truly etched in to my memory.

 

 

 

Happy New Year to your goodself also !

 

Time to open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. 'Edith Lovejoy Pierce'

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[Sal]

Thanks for the link to your thread. Incredible! I'll have to take a longer look at some of those photos.

I'll be interested to read the results if they are published at a later date so I'll keep my eyes peeled.

 

Been getting around a few interesting sites recently (Ashstead Common & Hatfield Forest) but I think a trip to the Basque region may have to be considered now too!

 

Silky, it's been good to get the chance over Christmas to read through the (many) articles I seem to save up!

[face cord]

Thoose pictures are amazing they look like fairytale trees out of brothers grimm story illustration.

 

 

Very top heavy looking suppose if there left to long un pollarded a huge chunk will break off?

 

So if more regulary manged there be alot less decay?...

[David Humphries]

Thoose pictures are amazing they look like fairytale trees out of brothers grimm story illustration.

 

Very top heavy looking suppose if there left to long un pollarded a huge chunk will break off?

 

So if more regulary manged there be alot less decay?...

 

 

Great illustration Mr Cord

 

The decay will always be there, as the trees age.

Leaving them unpollarded will lead to lever arm failure due to basal (branch decay)

Therefore, reducing them alleviates the weight issue to a degree.

 

 

From what I recall, the decay species associated mostly with the old beech pollards (there in the Basque) were Fomes fomentarius, Oudemensiella mucida & Meripilus giganteus.

 

 

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[Sal]

I've found a couple more bits about traditional tools/techniques the first being:

 

"Cut branches 1- 2ft (30- 60cm) from the body of the tree with a one handed axe, making sure that the bark is not damaged. Do not cut in sap time nor when the wind is in the north or east." (Fitzherbert 1523).

 

Which refers to a one-handed axe which I assumed to just mean a smaller axe/hatchet.

The other was this:

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zitG7f-HjgI&feature=player_detailpage]Starting new pollards the basque way - YouTube[/ame]

 

Are there any good historical references for tree management that anyone could recommend? I'm just starting to plod through this publication and I see there are some references in appendix 3:

 

publications.naturalengland.org.uk/file/114002

 

Cheers

[HCR]

How historic do you want to go?

 

Sylva, or A Discourse on Forest-Trees and the Propagation of Timber in His Majesty's Dominions by John Evelyn written in 1662 is about as historic as they go!