Some stuff to show off and ID required!

[RobRainford]

Hi guys

 

been looking at a job at blythe hall in lathom in lancashire, the hall is undergoing a £7million extension because the guy who owns JJB and the JJB stadium is moving in, there is a massive courtyard being built which could fit four of the house that im living in now, which is a 4 bed farmhouse.

 

there are 5 trees with proposed works, a lime, a sycamore, a horse chessie and two lovely oaks.

 

There is another oak at the site which has snapped out at approx 10ft leaving a massive fracture, the entire top has came off, but it is still healthy and thriving!

 

there is one massive oak on its own, lots of burrs and thick epicormic growth coming from a lot of areas around branches.

 

The other oak is in good condition, it looks like a digger has run over its root plate and has taken bark off one of the buttresses:thumbdown:

 

The sycamore isnt very pretty either, as shown in the picture!

 

The ID i need, well not so much an id, just help, im pretty sure the chessie with this bleeding is HCBC (PIC #6) but as all these trees are TPOd, the TO has granted these works but nothing was noted about this bleeding on the side of the stem, the tree is pretty balanced and the bleeding is facing towards a field, but if it fell backwards it would hit straight into the new build. Im wondering whether the TO hasnt quantified it to be enough of a hazard to warrant a takedown, but its still a risk?

 

It would sure be a shame if it came down because it is an absolutely amazing tree, i wish i could get a better pic of it but because of access i couldnt. But will be going back with rope and harness in hand to inspect all of these trees thoroughly

 

It has been specified as a root feed, what is the best way for this? i would suggest an air spade and maybe a good mulch working the mulch into the root plate? Probably the best option? 10% reductions have been specified for the lime, chessie and syc but surely thats not enough to show that anything has been done? But ill keep to the spec nevertheless

 

the lime is very impressive, as are the other trees. I was walking around these in absolute awe, as these would be a dream to work on.

 

apologies for the bad photos, ill be going back with a better camera and taking some very good photos.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Firstly the contractors want a kick up the arse, storing materials and driving over root plate of stressed mature tree! where is the fencing on this too?

[RobRainford]

thats the first thing i thought about the syc when i saw it, no wonder its like that, its had roots dug up (there is a hole near the fencing to its left) where there are roots approx 30mm in diameter at their biggest coming into the hole!

 

i was glad to see some fencing around the largest oak, right up to the dripline. That was the only care id seen for them.

[Frank]

Firstly there is no such thing as jjb anymore. It has changed.

 

Erm with regards to the trees. BS5837? Any surveys and action plans done?

Edited June 8, 2010 by Frank

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Erm with regards to the trees. BS5837? Any surveys and action plans done?

 

it's amazing what goes "unnoticed" when you're a multi millionaire building a new house....

[Arbgirl]

Totally agree - the TO should slap a stop notice on these guys straight away

 

Have the trees been surveyed prior to the works? The work totally doesnt comply with BS5837 and a the contractors should have the tree protection plan and steps that will be taken to protect them as part of their method statement. I would speak to the TO as a matter of urgency before those trees are wrecked to the point that they will have to be felled due to root damage!

[RobRainford]

Apparently the landscape architect and to have been out to these trees. I have the spec sheet handy so will have to ring him regarding these trees. I'll mention the fact a tpo'd tree has had it's roots dug up and also that none of these have been properly fenced off.

 

Any ideas from anyone regarding picture number 6? The bleeding on the chestnut trunk?

[Arbgirl]

Does look like Bleeding Canker to me, peeling bark too, is there a cavity in the old wound below the bleed? Did you probe it? Is there more peeling bark anywhere else on it?

[RobRainford]

Does look like Bleeding Canker to me, peeling bark too, is there a cavity in the old wound below the bleed? Did you probe it? Is there more peeling bark anywhere else on it?

 

I looked inside the small cavity. It's about 3 inches long and 1cm at it's widest. I could see wood inside the would but it is obsiously compartmentalised. I'll have to go back with a torch and a stick!

 

I will be returning at the weekend hopefully depending how my ordeal with the TO goes as the supervisor who was escorting me round site had to get off so I got what pictures I could. There is a time limit of a year on this job. So there is no massive rush. But with the bleeding canker something needs to be done.

 

Thanks arbgirl