Chestnut reduction..........

[tommer9]

I did this job on wednesday. The job was to remove deadwood and TRY to reshape this elderly and gnarly old sw. chestnut. It is an amazing tree, which had been topped out a very long time ago, by the previous owners husband many mooons ago i am informed. That had left a mess at the top of the tree, with a large area of decay, and some fairly hefty branches growing out of it. It has been in the pipeline for about 18 months, with repeated meetings and 2 T.O's doing 2 climbs in order to give me a very exacting description of allowed works- almost a branch by branch remit!!

 

I am sort of pleased with the result, but only time will tell whether or not the tree will respond with a nice shape and some renewed vigour in the crown.

 

It was hard to get pics as the site was pretty small.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[testcricket01]

should bush out nicely that good work, looks a great old tree that

[David Humphries]

I am sort of pleased with the result, but only time will tell whether or not the tree will respond with a nice shape and some renewed vigour in the crown.

 

I think you've acheived a good reduction on this Tom.

 

The peripheral thinning is interesting.

Is there a lot of internal epicormic within the lower canopy?

 

 

If you get a chance, it would be very interesting to see this tree again a year on?

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Dean Lofthouse]

There's only so much you can do with a torn canvass Tom, looks good mate

[skyhuck]

Looks good to me!!

 

How can the the TO justify the expense of his messing about??

[tommer9]

I think you've acheived a good reduction on this Tom.

 

The peripheral thinning is interesting.

Is there a lot of internal epicormic within the lower canopy?

 

 

If you get a chance, it would be very interesting to see this tree again a year on?

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

Looks good to me!!

 

How can the the TO justify the expense of his messing about??

 

Morning!

Thanks guys.

 

David, There was an amazing amount of epicormic all over the tree- its almost as if the tree is doing one of 2 things....regenerating (in which case it will respond really well) or giving its swan-song....When i last looked at it, about 2 months back, the general concensus was that the tree was doomed. The amount of old pruning wounds and large number of decay pockets showed that this tree had had a really hard life. Coming back and seeing the amount of vigour has been very encouraging however, and I will be giong back next year to see how it has reacted.

 

Dave- when i originally spoke to the owner, before looking at it, she had been advised by 'a mate who knows a bit' that it was dead/ dying and would ned to come down....she wasnt happy about that and was put in touch with the TO i believe, who climbed it to inspect it (not in his capacity as TO at this stage). It was then left for a seasons growth to assess it, and when i got involved with a view to working on it (she didnt want it felled:thumbup1:) then 2 TOs got involved from a planning point of view and did the second climb in order to give me the spec....

 

Myself and *********** undertook a climbing inspection of the Sweet Chestnut in June 2009. I revisited Dean Terrace on Thursday 4th March and met with Mrs *******., we discussed the trees on site and remedial works that I would support, please see comment / specifications below.

 

 

 

T1 Large, mature, Sweet Chestnut. Following the removal of an adjacent mature Beech, extended lateral branches have been left exposed; in the last year the tree has suffered storm damage, branches extending toward the west have sheared off.

 

 

 

The tree has numerous, historic pruning wounds, dead/desiccated wood and dysfunctional cambium bark are associated with these, a previous climbing inspection indicated that these do not constitute significant structural defects at this time.

 

 

 

The crown contains numerous sections of deadwood.

 

 

 

I would support the removal of deadwood and a canopy reduction of approximately 30%. Reduction work should reduce the height by no more than 4m, the eastern spread by no more than 3m and north western spread by no more than 2m. Branches to be reduced back to suitable growth points, providing a framework for future growth. Pruning should result in a more compact crown form, promoting the development of a symmetrical canopy in the future.

[Stephen Blair]

good job Tom, looked a nice day for it too mate

[tommer9]

It was roasting hot- i lost about 3lbs i reckon!!

[Big 'Ammer]

There's only so much you can do with a torn canvass Tom, looks good mate

 

Thats a great quote, Dean.

 

I shall remember to use it at an appropriate time.

 

Nice work Tommer.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

castaneas are tough as old boots, live forever and always look a bit ropey!

 

You cant beat an old nut for pressence in a woodland scene, always massive great butts and always regenerating, great trees.

 

Nice work tommer, got it back to that second crown profile you could see in the first image. good job.