ARB Approved...views please.

[mapleacer]

With regard to changing the law as to who can and cant work on trees Paul wrote - "it's never going to happen unfortunately".

 

Paul why not?

[Gary Prentice]

Cos most of the industry would be against being vetted by an organisation such as the AA. Particularly having to pay for the privilege  

 

Starting at the top, the government fails to acknowledge the importance of trees, most departments within LAs are the same, Highways see trees as barriers, other professions in the building industry don't like trees that much, arboriculturists  (even chartered arbs) are still the tree man to the other professionals on site, lots of the public see trees as either a nuisance or so big they're dangerous.....

 

so who is going push for a change in the law and who is going to champion a change.

 

Sorry just jaded today after seeing a couple of construction sites with fecked trees by builders who don't care and planners who don't even demand a tree survey or AMS before consenting the proposal.

[mapleacer]

Forget the AA, its simple, if person x has got yz piece of paper like for driving a lorry (called a licence, issued by the government), then they are the only people allowed to work on trees and arb consulting exactly the same. 

 

Simple, fair and would professionalise the whole 'lopping' UK!

 

[mapleacer]

As for who is going to push for a change in the law..... that should be high on the to do list of the AA as the UK's leading body and with mixed charitable status (I believe) to after trees. The primary aim of the AA for 2018 - Our vision is that by 2018: We will convert current concern about the welfare of our nation's amenity trees into a passion to ensure trees are demanded as an intrinsic and necessary component of our built environments, to such an extent that “urban greening” becomes a priority in urban planning.

 

This vision only happens with a change in law.

 

A change in law would not financially help the AA in its current state but it will the professional consultant, climber, grounds person and tree company who can then charge professional fees for a professional service as the gardeners, painters, cleaners, those folk who use your stolen kit and dump in lay byes then move on etc will no longer legally be allowed to do any works to trees, consulting or contracting.

 

If you want a professional industry with professional related money for all those certified then change the law, if not good luck.

[Wolfie]

The other thing Paul is because the AA is a little up itself we can’t even promote it on our vans as members, I’m a member of the ISA and promote that more both to domestic and commercial simply because I can, I’m not even a professional in the eyes of the AA , can’t use there logo on my trucks even though I’m a member so why should I promote them????
 

I'm seeing more and more truck owned by door-knocker firms displaying the AA signs. The word seems to be spreading very well amongst certain communities.

[mapleacer]

On 15/11/2017 at 16:03, mapleacer said:

With regard to changing the law as to who can and cant work on trees Paul wrote - "it's never going to happen unfortunately".

 

Paul why not?

This question is for Arboricultural Association Paul 

[mapleacer]

Question aimed directly for Arboricultural Association Paul -

 

With regard to changing the law as to who can and cant work on trees Paul wrote - "it's never going to happen unfortunately".

 

Why not?

 

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

37 minutes ago, mapleacer said:

Question aimed directly for Arboricultural Association Paul -

 

With regard to changing the law as to who can and cant work on trees Paul wrote - "it's never going to happen unfortunately".

 

Why not?

 

Hi there, apologies for my late arrival to this thread.

 

It's never going to happen because the industry doesn't really register at central government level, something we are trying to change with our involvement in the All Parliamentary Group for Horticulture, and the people most at risk are those within the industry itself rather than the wider society / general public (unlike, for instance, Gas Installers or Electricians...the latter even, not being vetted in the same way as the former.) Hence it is for the industry itself to sort things out and improve it's safety performance / standing etc.

Obviously the PUWER Regs. (Reg. 9 - Training) go some way to influencing this giving a quasi/semi-legal input to the requirement for chainsaw 'licences' and of course it is the HSE's role to Police this, in effect.

 

I do believe the AA, and the ARB Approved Contractor Scheme, are well placed to help / improve standards, along with others, and we welcome people to get involved through the various Branches / Committees / working groups and to influence things and move things forward.

 

With regard to "door-knocker" firms using the logo, if they are of the "no-fixed abode" type there is little we can effectively do TBH but if they are bona-fide businesses there's much we can do so please do let me know (with 'the evidence.')

 

Thanks all for discussing and again apologies I've not been around to partake.

 

Best..

Paul

     

[Gary Prentice]

1 hour ago, AA Teccie (Paul) said:

With regard to "door-knocker" firms using the logo, if they are of the "no-fixed abode" type there is little we can effectively do

You mean that the AA don't have a compliance team of large hairy @rs&# arborists ready to rapidly respond to reports of inappropriate logo usage?

 

That would put me off joining

[Haironyourchest]

On 15/11/2017 at 21:47, mapleacer said:

A change in law would not financially help the AA in its current state but it will the professional consultant, climber, grounds person and tree company who can then charge professional fees for a professional service as the gardeners, painters, cleaners, those folk who use your stolen kit and dump in lay byes then move on etc will no longer legally be allowed to do any works to trees, consulting or contracting.

 

If you want a professional industry with professional related money for all those certified then change the law, if not good luck.

Thank's mapleacer - for just flushing a third of my livlihhod down the crapper, or making me a criminal for doing trees part time. Nice one.