To thin or reduce - LPA's & BS3998

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimberCutterDartmoor

Wish tree officers and their leaflets were more balanced; around here they hate reductions quoting, epicormic and waste of time etc etc

 

 

I hear this an awful lot 'up, down and across' the country and whilst I'm certainly not advocating the appeal process, not least as it hits the public purse strings hard, it an available option.

 

However, better to be proactive, rather than reactive, so why not get to togther as a collective group, i.e. many contractors in one LPA area, and make a representation to the Council. To add strength to your argument refer to Table B.1 of the new BS3998 where it cites many situations, including 'to manage light and shade', where crown reduction is considered "often appropriate".

 

Yes, from the LPA point of view crown reduction, involving an overall reduction of the size of the tree, inevitably reduces the associated 'visual amenity' (the key criteria for a TPO) BUT, in many situations, it will likely increase the longevity of the tree and create a more 'harmonious' and 'sustainable' relationship between the owner and the tree.....and save the LPA TO repeated tel complaints and time consumin spurious applications.

 

Further IF the overall objective is to achieve a 30% reduction, which LPA's particularly don't like, why not go for a phased approach of 15% + 15% with a 2 year break in between. You may say the client wouldnn't go for this but if it achieved their overall objective, albiet not straight away, then I think many would. IF you have a forward thinking LPA this could be done as an indivdiual tree management plan and consented in one go. Obvioulsy it would need to be appropriately conditioned, to ensure it was 15+15 3 years later AND a require to notify the LPA 5 working days beforehand etc. etc. BUT I think it could work.

 

Sorry this all sounds a bit "fluffy bunny"...I'm going (GONE!) maddddd!!!

 

Hpe it to be of interest, and use, and gentle negotiations are the way forward.

 

Good luck...keep me posted!

 

Cheers..

Paul.

 

PS As a matter of interest I expected their to be a lower of resistance to TPO apps to reduce trees on the basis of 'light loss' when the 'High Hedges Bill' came in whihc seeks to address the very same issue.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Paul, thats some very sound advice, and i couldnt agree more, in fact in many ways a staged reduction is better...

 

gives an opportunity to see how the tree responds (vitality/vigour)

 

allows some new advantageous buds to shoot within the scaffolds, ensuring more options at the final reduction. (in some trees)

 

There are many councils that do not like reductions, this is however very often a double standard as they often maintain their st trees in such a way, and often the standards of those works are far lower than an independent servicing private individuals.

 

Reductions are widely mis understood, and not carried out very well, many people site rapid extension growth in a ex current habit as the justification for this loathing, but for a tree that is to be managed within the urban context this has to be appreciated and re worked to form a new easily maintained sustainable form.

 

I dont want to live in a world where trees in the urban context are allowed to grow unhindered to the point where natural shedding and fear become the norm, a place where big trees are felled rather than managed.

 

Ive said it before, and i will always defend it, to the death if needs be, reduction is a viable and necessary management tool, when they turn this skill out of the collages, this loathing and misunderstanding will change.

 

Why is this MOST vital of all arb skills not taught? are we preparing students for the REAL world?

 

 

 

 

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Hama, thank you.

 

I beleive that 'real' learning only occurs when college leavers start to 'touch trees' (thanks to the late, great Dr. Shigo). The trouble then of course is that unless they have a very good mentor their skills either never develop, or do so by trial and error.

 

That's why 'ARBTALK', people like you HIGH SCALE, RUPE and many others, are vital to improving standards bu posting such good examples of completed works...it's just such a shame that this is not 'the norm' across the industry.

 

Thank you all and please keep going!

 

Cheers..

Paul