Veteran Oak

[Marc]

Do nothing. That tree has been like that for a long time, surviving storm after storm. Where are the targets? If it falls over in five years, you still had five years to enjoy a great tree.

 

Nice, this is the third Oak posted on this forum with a similar defect, and in all the split does not look fresh, possibly years old.

Amazing things trees, already this year i've worked on 2 massive veteran trees with historic splits they'd had survived years intact without mans help, the works i did was a nice aesthetic reduction and in one tree a brace, just to prove some duty of care.

No heavy high pollard.

 

The Oak has been like that for a while? Already survived the heavy winds earlier this year, so why not a gentle reduction and brace, just to prove some duty of care?

Or Like Old Monkey says leave it alone.

 

 

Also out of intrest what is the fungi at the bottom of the tree?

[Big dog]

Last time we had pics of a similar tree which had already been worked on and quite a few people got their nickers in a twist about what had been done. What were the TO reasons for felling? Whats the location of the tree? Information is king in situations like this.

[Drella]

Besides cabling,, deadwood, corrective prune and lightly thinning should do it.

 

You can remove it later.. Can anyone say- "job security?"

[MattyF]

I have one to go and discuss and price this morning an almost identicle tree,well not as big only 4 1/2ft@diameter at chest height.....im leaning to pollard leaving as much growth as possible maybe coronet as it has targets over one side but on the other side is only fields.

The tree has already shed a large percentage of its crown but below the remaining defects.

I dont see a problem with pollarding ,the oldest oaks in europe are pollared or where at some point in there time.

[David Humphries]

I have one to go and discuss and price this morning an almost identicle tree,well not as big only 4 1/2ft@diameter at chest height.....im leaning to pollard leaving as much growth as possible maybe coronet as it has targets over one side but on the other side is only fields.

The tree has already shed a large percentage of its crown but below the remaining defects.

I dont see a problem with pollarding ,the oldest oaks in europe are pollared or where at some point in there time.

 

Any pre pictures, Matty?

 

Would your quote reflect the extra time for the "raggedy cuts", if you do some.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Marc]

I dont see a problem with pollarding ,the oldest oaks in europe are pollared or where at some point in there time.

 

Thats true, although I have or been involved in heavily pollarding of mature trees.

 

The results are mixed, practically more than half have gone on to die. Its a last chance no other choice approach in my opinion.

[Mesterh]

I dont see a problem with pollarding ,the oldest oaks in europe are pollared or where at some point in there time.

 

I think it all depends on if it was a proper pollarding or just being topped.

 

Alot of people dont know the difference between topping and pollarding.

[MattyF]

As marc said its a last resort.

before i met the customer to his face and disscussed the options he said he wanted no further risks...wich to me would of meant pollardind and for some added interest coronet cuts.

upon arival on site he made it clear that he didnt want to lose said tree and open up its crown area and that it is heavily over shadowed by a large turkey oak planted at the same time maybe it would not of handled the shock so well but the tree is still in good health.......we have now drawn up a plan of 50% reduction over the target area followed by 25% over the remaining top on the main split limb of the crown....personally i would of liked to of pollarded and seen it do another 50 years + before further maintanance.....instead of prolonging the inevitable

[skyhuck]

I think it all depends on if it was a proper pollarding or just being topped.

 

Alot of people dont know the difference between topping and pollarding.

 

Do tell.

[Mesterh]

I was going to say something along the lines of "People who dont know what a pollard is arent professional tree surgeons" but I thought I would probably get loads of flack so I decided not to bother and found this instead

 

http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/tree_pruning/pollarding/shigo_words.html

 

My old lecturer from college would have a mild heart attack if anyone mentioned 'topping' and 'pollarding' in the same sentence