Roadside Decay

[David Humphries]

When you're as sad as I and others that don't really need mentioning, you tend to finds yourself looking out for fung in all manor of places.

Even when one is meant to be getting away from the stresses & constaints of work, whilst on R&R with the tribe

 

So not only pulling over, reversing or even going back after having dropped of the kids, you come across the likes of the following, what do you do?

 

Enjoy the relationship going on betwixt decay organism & it's host, capture it for posterity and move on..........

 

or, do what may be perceived as the right thing and get in touch with the relevant owners, to advise upon your discovery?

 

Beyond the call of duty?

 

 

Shaggy Polypore on a number of Ash

Dryads saddle on Beech

& Chicken of the "streets" on Cherry.

 

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[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

david, this is a subject i ponder all too often, however, if we was to truly reveal just how many urban trees have fungi colonisations (even principal decay fungi) I think there would be so much paranoia and widespread felling we wouldnt have a tree left standing.

 

The truth about fungi is thus, that trees are about as likely to kill someone WITH fungi as they are without. (in most instances)

 

given a few exceptions, in combonation of tree species and fung species, i.e ulmarius on poplar or horse chestnut (lethal) Kretschmaria on beech and lime for example, I thought about doing a similar thread called "the truth about fungi" and shooting all the fung fruiting on roadside trees on my way home 5 mile trip, but then thought it would not be so good for fung tree human relations, bad PR.

 

like you say, its a dilema, one that the likes of you and me who are so highly tuned in will increasingly struggle with.

 

at the end of the day, it is the human interaction giving these fung the oportunity in towns more so than in the wild, do we allow them the truth and hope it inspires better managments, or do we give them the truth and see the already fever pitch fear go through the roof?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

people ask us how WE se so many, where do we find them, i always say within the ancient woods, truth is that as many if not more I find amoung the urban tree stock.

[David Humphries]

Completely & utterly agree with your sentiment.

 

But.........

 

you know well, how I view & absorb people/tree/fungi interaction,

but this doesn't really mitigate the responsibility that we place ourselves under when we not only note but take more than a passing interest in a particular situation.

 

Ofcourse I am reluctant to be the catalyst that leads to a trees demise before it's natural or even considered evaluative - time.

 

But how would I feel if a failure occured that I had some knowledge of.

 

Dilema dilema, blah blah.........

 

here's a situation that I couldn't leave un attended earlier this week.

 

Zoo in Norfolk, (great Zoo btw) Beech with Merip, high target area, families, school kids, old people, property, animals etc....

 

Decided to go talk with the manager, as to what I had discovered, turned out, as I had suspected, that the trees are part of an inspection regime, relatively sheltered canopies, had had reduction work, and the surveyor appeared to be aware of the situation.

 

Guess I didn't really need to do anything in this case, as the above could be read from the ground, but a nagging doubt made me go seek out confirmation.

 

How far do/should we all, as professionals, go ?

 

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Edited August 15, 2010 by Monkey-D

[Bundle 2]

Go do a QTRA licence David. As a manager of personnel aswell as trees in the public domain, I dont doubt the sense of perspective the process will give you will inform your day to decisions. Not that I am in any way making or seeking to make a judgement about your day to day decisions.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I know David, its hard isnt it.

 

one of my main things is that in the past, not so much these days I used to get the old down the nose thing, like who was I, oh look hasnt a qual to his credit and it realy used to nark me, to the point where I just stopped worrying and "got on with it" my daily routine.

 

This situaltion has changed in recent years, probably because i am more trained and know the lingo and right ways of going about it.

 

BUT, there is this niggle in me that i am like yesterday going around my sites being an unpaid surveyor of (sorry for the ego but its the truth) superior ability that should be on a good wage with a respected position, and its distinctly lacking and not for the trying to get the letters to back it up.

 

Dont get me wrong, if I think its REALY a threat i do shout from the top of my lungs, but then even when i do (bob clark my local TO aside) most ignore me, and two of the situations turned bad, very bad indeed.

 

You ooften get no thanks for the effort, its more likely to get a response that is akin to "stick your nose in someone elses business" from the owners, iether that or its a "you just want the work" scenario and distrust.

 

I dunno david, i just watch my patch because I know my input is valued and respected on an even keel with my local TO, the rest? maybe one day there will be an inspector of urban tree stocks for county level, and of high position and respect, for the responsibility that goes with the job, till then while i struggle to pay my mortgage and educate myself i dont see why i should spend my days looking after the "peers" while i cant get a job that pays the same grade as them.

[Bundle 2]

Just cos you mentioned it D, herewith images of a beech, roadside in Norfolk.

Its pretty obvious to me that you would not park your porsche or picnic under it......

 

Tim.

[David Humphries]

Who owns the road Tim?

 

 

Here's a Beech on the main A148 toward Cromer, just passed the Roman Camp Pub.

 

May be Felbriggs, though not sure really.

 

pic was last year, Trees still there, fungs a fair bit bigger.

 

Meant to get in touch with highways, but haven't......as yet.

 

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[Bundle 2]

Who owns the road Tim?

 

 

Here's a Beech on the main A148 toward Cromer, just passed the Roman Camp Pub.

 

May be Felbriggs, though not sure really.

 

pic was last year, Trees still there, fungs a fair bit bigger.

 

Meant to get in touch with highways, but haven't......as yet.

 

.

 

Im pretty sure the road in question would be Highways but it could well come under FC as the rest of the wood is conifer plantation....Its extremely low usage.

 

I think at just past the Roman Camp it will almost certainly be Felbrigg.

Have a quick oggle at google maps on satellite view....?

[David Humphries]

It was Felbriggs Tim.

 

Will check on it next time I'm up in the area.

 

 

Spied these on the road whilst out and about yesterday, nothing too special, just hispidus & resinaceum.

 

But here they are seemingly chomping away, happily unnoticed.

 

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