Too many tree surgeons?!

[oldwoodcutter]

Everyone’s at it round here lopping n topping and thrashing around. It does have its lighter moments though, as I saw this afternoon an unfamiliar tranny with greedy boards on my patch,with several swarthy types trying to look busy.Closer inspection revealed one guy standing on a wallpaper hangers steps pruning a Curly willow roadside with a long reach hedgecutter, while another fellow was laying on top of a high close clipped Connie hedge reaching down vertically with his hs45 about to break his neck at any moment onto the pavement 15 feet below. I gave them a cheery wave as I pulled my tranny away but was blanked by the entire happy band.

[Marula]

I’m presuming the tree is smaller than when they started?.....

It is, however according to BS3998 that is not a reduction, as I'm sure your professional self knows.

[Richard 1234]

It is, however according to BS3998 that is not a reduction, as I'm sure your professional self knows.

I wouldn’t know about that I cut grass for a living!
I’m sure you are right but it’s not the point. You can’t change what others do or charge so do your own thing and leave them to it

[Marula]

I wouldn’t know about that I cut grass for a living!
I’m sure you are right but it’s not the point. You can’t change what others do or charge so do your own thing and leave them to it

We are professional arborists, a surveyor in my case, therefore our prerogative is expert advise relating to the health of the tree and the survival of the organism for future generations. Besides the trees and eventually the area becoming unsightly due to half arse tree surgeons topping everything this form of butchery will start taking its toll on the tree count in the area due to pests and diseases. Some species will come out the other side but many won't, trees are not meant to be topped, they're not meant to be pruned either but they do have a better chance of dealing with a pruning than a topping. It's this sort of attitude that still relegates this industry to the gutter, I'm a conservationist and I understand it is my job to preserve these long lived giants for my children and they're children, it's not just about making a quick buck.

[Richard 1234]

We are professional arborists, a surveyor in my case, therefore our prerogative is expert advise relating to the health of the tree and the survival of the organism for future generations. Besides the trees and eventually the area becoming unsightly due to half arse tree surgeons topping everything this form of butchery will start taking its toll on the tree count in the area due to pests and diseases. Some species will come out the other side but many won't, trees are not meant to be topped, they're not meant to be pruned either but they do have a better chance of dealing with a pruning than a topping. It's this sort of attitude that still relegates this industry to the gutter, I'm a conservationist and I understand it is my job to preserve these long lived giants for my children and they're children, it's not just about making a quick buck.

All that’s lovely and true no doubt.

I wonder how many trees it saves though?

Some people will decide that they want THEIR tree topping if that option were took off the table how many will get removed instead?

No doubt if they ring the right person they may be pushed in the right direction but they may not ring the right person and even if they do they might still want it topped no matter what is said to them.

On my very basic understanding of it unless it has a tpo or in a conservation area there is nothing to stop this happening?

[Marula]

All that’s lovely and true no doubt.

I wonder how many trees it saves though?

Some people will decide that they want THEIR tree topping if that option were took off the table how many will get removed instead?

No doubt if they ring the right person they may be pushed in the right direction but they may not ring the right person and even if they do they might still want it topped no matter what is said to them.

On my very basic understanding of it unless it has a tpo or in a conservation area there is nothing to stop this happening?

Topping a tree is not an option unless it's had it and you are just trying to prolong its life by reducing weight. If the client wants a tree reduced then you reduce the tree according to BS3998, you do not top it.

[Steve Bullman]

If anything I think there’s may be slightly

fewer round here than there was.  There was a period around 8 years ago where you seemed to see a different company pop up every week 

[TIMON]

We are professional arborists, a surveyor in my case, therefore our prerogative is expert advise relating to the health of the tree and the survival of the organism for future generations. Besides the trees and eventually the area becoming unsightly due to half arse tree surgeons topping everything this form of butchery will start taking its toll on the tree count in the area due to pests and diseases. Some species will come out the other side but many won't, trees are not meant to be topped, they're not meant to be pruned either but they do have a better chance of dealing with a pruning than a topping. It's this sort of attitude that still relegates this industry to the gutter, I'm a conservationist and I understand it is my job to preserve these long lived giants for my children and they're children, it's not just about making a quick buck.

Not disagreeing with what you say, advocating bad practice or condoning the butchering of trees.
I don’t think there are many tree care firms, even decent “3998” ones that can earn money without starting a saw up, and only doing conservation work.
Personally, I will always try and sell the customer a crown thin rather than a reduction and if explained properly it is encouraging to find that more often than not they will take the advice.
[emoji106]

[Marula]

Not disagreeing with what you say, advocating bad practice or condoning the butchering of trees.
I don’t think there are many tree care firms, even decent “3998” ones that can earn money without starting a saw up, and only doing conservation work.
Personally, I will always try and sell the customer a crown thin rather than a reduction and if explained properly it is encouraging to find that more often than not they will take the advice.
[emoji106]

I'm not against pruning of trees, or thinning or reducing of them for that matter. I'm against the removal of large healthy trees unless there's a very good reason and the topping of trees advertised as a reduction. When we crown lift or reduce a tree we've done work on it to prevent its removal, that to me is conservation work in an urban environment.

[Mick Dempsey]

I toped these trees, do you fink there gunna dye?