Standards of practice

[Rinapea]

Hi 

I am a tree owner of a a tree with a preservation order. I have had four different pieces of advice to best manage the tree going forward by four different tree surgeons.
I have now decided to find an independent tree consultant but am a bit confused of what to do next. I have options of a ground survey pathological studies and piccus sonography.
I was wondering what the standard practice to assess trees was. 
I love the tree and want to keep it alive as long as possibly but it's very close to a neighbours property and a branch recently fell and caused damage to a shed. 
Many thanks 
Rina

[Mick Dempsey]

All four of them may well be right, there are few absolutes or certainties in retaining a tree that can damage property.

 

If you like, post a few pictures with some of the options suggested (not naming the companies involved of course) and see how many other opinions you can collect!

[Steve Bullman]

Hi Rina,

 

Where abouts are you based?  Do you have any reason to suspect there is decay in the tree?  Any fungus visible at the base? I carry out Picus testing and may be able to help.

[Rinapea]

We are in Blackheath London. It's a old horse chestnut tree. About 30 metres high. One large stem that splits into four very close to the ground. 

Will PICUS testing result in the tree being removed we do not want that.

also I am concerned about the cost of PICUS and if it would need to be done regularly for insurance reasons. 

Thank you 

Rina 

 

 

[Rinapea]

3 minutes ago, Rinapea said:

We are in Blackheath London. It's a old horse chestnut tree. About 30 metres high. One large stem that splits into four very close to the ground. 

Will PICUS testing result in the tree being removed we do not want that.

also I am concerned about the cost of PICUS and if it would need to be done regularly for insurance reasons. 

Thank you 

Rina 

 

 

 

[Gary Prentice]

Seeing how the tree is subject to a TPO, the local arboricultural officer may be your first port of call. Any work specified by a tree surgeon or consultant is likely to require the tree officers agreement/consent, so you might as well get him/her involved anyway. It will be a refreshing change for him/her in that you don't want to remove the tree unnecessarily. 

[Steve Bullman]

27 minutes ago, Rinapea said:

We are in Blackheath London. It's a old horse chestnut tree. About 30 metres high. One large stem that splits into four very close to the ground. 

Will PICUS testing result in the tree being removed we do not want that.

also I am concerned about the cost of PICUS and if it would need to be done regularly for insurance reasons. 

Thank you 

Rina 

 

 

What are the targets if the tree were to fall?  It appears to be in quite large grounds.

A bad picus test isn't particularly an order to fell a tree, however if its in an area where it could cause damage to the public and such an incident occurred with you knowing in advance the tree was compromised, then I suspect you could well find yourself liable.

i'll pm you an idea of the price.

[Mark J]

4 hours ago, Gary Prentice said:

Seeing how the tree is subject to a TPO, the local arboricultural officer may be your first port of call. Any work specified by a tree surgeon or consultant is likely to require the tree officers agreement/consent, so you might as well get him/her involved anyway. It will be a refreshing change for him/her in that you don't want to remove the tree unnecessarily. 

I agree with Gary. Also, I'd look to instruct a consultancy to carry out a tree safety assessment. The outcome of the tree survey will determine what should happen next.

 

[Rinapea]

4 hours ago, Mark J said:

I agree with Gary. Also, I'd look to instruct a consultancy to carry out a tree safety assessment. The outcome of the tree survey will determine what should happen next.

 

Hi Gary 

Do you know how I get actree safety assessment? Will a tree consultant be able to do that? 

 Rina 

[Gary Prentice]

A consultant can undertake a safety assessment.

 

A basic/stage one assessment is from ground level, looking at the body language of the tree - if and how it has adapted to external stresses as well as internal dysfunction or decay. This assessment may trigger more in depth investigations - a climbing inspection to look at cavities, fungal fruit bodies at height or invasive testing such as a Picus test or some drilling with a resistograph.

 

Just because the tree has lost a limb doesn't necessarily mean that there is any great problem. The failure may have been caused by localised decay, maybe where a limb had been removed previously, decay in that area started and eventually the load of the limb overcame the strength of the remaining sound wood. This is what the assessment will be looking to establish. Whatever else is observed will guide what, if anything happens next.

[Chris at eden]

6 hours ago, Gary Prentice said:

A consultant can undertake a safety assessment.

 

A basic/stage one assessment is from ground level, looking at the body language of the tree - if and how it has adapted to external stresses as well as internal dysfunction or decay. This assessment may trigger more in depth investigations - a climbing inspection to look at cavities, fungal fruit bodies at height or invasive testing such as a Picus test or some drilling with a resistograph.

 

Just because the tree has lost a limb doesn't necessarily mean that there is any great problem. The failure may have been caused by localised decay, maybe where a limb had been removed previously, decay in that area started and eventually the load of the limb overcame the strength of the remaining sound wood. This is what the assessment will be looking to establish. Whatever else is observed will guide what, if anything happens next.

Hi Rina

 

To add to what Gary said, summer branch drop (SBD) has been a red hot issue this year with the extended period of drought.  I have inspected at least six trees this summer which have dropped branches consistent with SBD.  Some had associated defects such as minor decay and squirrel damage but not all. 

 

I agree with Gary though, do the inspections in stages.  Start with a VTA survey and then get something more detailed if needed.  You should probably also look at treating the leaf miner infection if you want to extend the trees life span.