Where does your loyalty lie?

[Taupotreeman]

Hama, the guy I did the conservation course with was Dr. Robert Widdcombe (Border Ecology). He was absolutely mad on conservation and we were out on the Wash at silly O'clock in the morning watching birds, out in the Riseholme woods watching badgers, checking out various carniverous bugs that could be used for pest control, dry stone walling and hedge laying. I always wish that I could have followed this side of things but in the end I needed to earn a dollar and the opportunites within conservation were few unless volunteer work was your thing. If this really is your thing I'm sure he would be more than willing to have a bit of a yarn with you. He's a hell of a nice guy and passionate.

[sloth]

Somewhere between. Trees are magnificent organisms, and can't protect themselves. Id like to help protect them, or at least retain not remove 'dangerous' rotten trees. I have a shed load and more to learn and always will, but I will continue to learn so I can try and educate the client. To steer them toward retention and its countless benefits.

I suffered some dark time and depression at the start of my climbing days; as a result of learning more about them, their interactions with so many other organisms, and seeing so much unnecessary/bad tree work and removals- and being responsible for a lot myself, at the instruction of my boss for the benefit of the uneducated customer it took seeing that bad tree work (looping topping etc) creates fungal habitats, hollows and other niches of benefit to many beings to justify doing the work myself. That, and a need to earn for my family! Much of the work I do now for my boss is really not needed; the client talked into work to furnish our log pile, or due to a lack of understanding as what constitutes a danger (a few moths ago we cut down a mature oak which was in decline, as he thought the boletes under it were honey fungus! It still came down, as that is what he'd told the customer) He doesn't really care, though he says he does, as long as his wallet is full!

I am learning and going in the direction of consultant so I may save as many trees as possible, in the mean time I muddle along doing what I can educating those who are willing to listen.

[Bolt]

Five ways the world could end

Five ways the world could end - Yahoo! News UK

 

Good find, couldn't have demonstrated better myself.

 

Not one of them would end THE world, they would just end OUR word (well, a 'spose the metorite might mess it all up a bit though.........)

[tomtrees]

Even scientists are not unknown for making clams that are not true to advance their career. Look at the debate on global worming or drugs classification. Do you really think that any other industry is different. I think the arb industry is less devious than most.

 

Our landscape is a culture landscape sculputured by man the tree feller. It is historical record. Pollarded trees cut to make houses (burnum beaches) hedge rows (the enclosure act) we leave the mark of 21 century man.

[sloth]

Also, this site is wealth of information with great teachers! Im always lurking in the shadows absorbing others knowledge, pondering on others opinions; well done arbtalk and all on here!

[armchairarborist]

Source of Half Earth's Oxygen Gets Little Credit okay i'm being really picky here but it looks like half of our oxygen comes from the sea and half from trees/grass etc.. but i'm sure that will be messed up by the time all the trees are cut down. sorry hama i can't make anyone feel any better tonight,

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Source of Half Earth's Oxygen Gets Little Credit okay i'm being really picky here but it looks like half of our oxygen comes from the sea and half from trees/grass etc.. but i'm sure that will be messed up by the time all the trees are cut down. sorry hama i can't make anyone feel any better tonight,

 

If the truth be known yes algea in the ocean contribute massivley to the oxygen of the world. but, if we tell the whole story folk will become immune to the eco pressure, volcanoes produce 60% of the Co2!

 

what I fear is the loss of organisms, of biodiversity, and that, that is our doing.

[bumble B]

I am currently a climber, and have been for the last 24 years, I have hobbied in ecology, aquatic (fisheries) and temperate forests, becoming increasingly interested in bats.

 

that thread on the big beech, that got to me, and its time I got out of this game, I cant change this industry, it enjoys the smash and grab too much, the toys the big drops, its lost its luster more and more as I learn more about trees, and learn more about just how crap 99% of the work we all do as an industry is.

 

maybe i will get over this downer but i cant see it, I know too much now.

 

I want to be a consultant, but then i cant afford the level 6 quals so thats for the time being out of the equation. maybe i will be a writer, and just supply information, that maybe allows others to come to similar conclusions.

 

Man. Sounds like you have seen nirvana. Are you the Highlander?

I can kind of understand you. The more you learn about tree's and the industry the more your eye's are opened.

[Pat Ferrett]

Hama! I love you Man But just remember that its taken you 24 years to come to this conclusion and you cant expect us to all catch up because of 1 beech tree. If you show us the light we might not take as long

If tree's mean more to you than money then stop worrying about a job you cant get(at the moment) and concern yourself with the 10,000 members of this forum that you can enlighten, and inturn the amount of tree's and eco systems you could save for genorations as the knowledge is passed from one to another.

 

Life my friend! is a journey, yours is just begining

[Mesterh]

I voted for the client as 99.9% of the time its just a job.

 

Always try to give the best advice I can in regards to the tree but its the customers decision for me at the end of the day(H8 that saying!)

 

Have sort of refused to do tree work only on a handful of occasions when I thought it was 'not right'.

 

I cant afford to have a conscience I'm afraid.