chesnut village focal point what to do?

[MattyF]

i was ask my opinions on an aesculus carnea that was planted around 80 years ago.

 

It forms a kind of focal point out side the village its situated in,the parish rooms museum public gardens and church are surrounding it so is quite an important tree but is infected with bleeding canker and shows die back and girdling of branches so the tree has week points probably worse than it looks as from my experience the pink chesnuts hide bleeding canker damage much better than the whites.

any way i feel ive got 2 options.

1. reduce to lessen the chance of branch failure but stress the tree some more so maybe soil decompaction maybe muching and some tree root treatment.

2.its got bleeding canker in avanced stages so poses to much a threat to public safety and should be felled.

its a hard call and the parish i feel will trust my opinion but its not going to look good felling this land mark tree! so any bodys experience with trying to save bleeding cankered chesnuts or just advice would br great ...cheers,mat

[MattyF]

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[MattyF]

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[MattyF]

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[bob]

we have found some have fought back and recovered but that looks fairly bad

[Pete Mctree]

are the leaves chlorotic and is there apical die back and seperation/splitting of the bark from the timber due to cambium death yet?

edit

ah ok more pics. I would be suprised if it did recover as it looks quite advanced, but as Bob said some do

[RPA]

Dont think you can win eaither way.

 

My option would prob be reduce and plant a good size standard now, hope the old lass will last/stay safe a few years while its relacement gets established.

 

Not a scientific judgement, just an opinion if viable

[MattyF]

yes pete theres some but not massive amounts the last pic is about the worst limb...not the worst ive seen.

The bud burst this year has resulted in a lot more of the crown too die back...but this could be due to root damage or maybe compaction?

[treedave]

Don't think you can win either way.

 

My option would prob be reduce and plant a good size standard now, hope the old lass will last/stay safe a few years while its replacement gets established.

 

Not a scientific judgement, just an opinion if viable

 

I'm with edenarb on this, but I'd talk to them about managing the targets as well ie the bench round the base could go for starters and possibly an excluding fence, if the benefit out ways the cost?.

Tough call either way.

[Pete Mctree]

it is a typical symptom. i'd not wait too long to either reduce heavily or fell. the deterioration can be rapid