a journey into Arb

[Gary Prentice]

Positive post...super pictures..he's in great hands and learning from people who have a passion for this life! My kinda people.

 

2nd that!

[JaySmith]

Hi Jay, it's great to follow the apprentices journeys through Arbtalk and magazine articles.

 

Your own journey has taken you a really long way in a short time, you should be proud of where you are.

 

Shame fate led you to having your apprenticeship at the wrong site, could have been so so much more with us

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Thanks for the kind words David. Are those pics of me? Don't remember climbing that tree over at the Heath?? I remember we did some work on a large Ash in the morning which I think Phil? climbed. Those pics, if they are me look like Casper showing me some climbing bits and bobs. I thought that we climbed some Hornbeam's in a glade when I came over?

 

Yes was a shame I couldn't have done the apprenticeship at the Heath but I don't believe there was an opportunity at the time if I remember correctly. I think the two sites offer very different propositions, at Hampstead you guys are more focused on preservation, decay detection and the ecological side of arb. You also seem to be a lot more focused on risk management, probably due for the nature of the site and high public access. A lot of your stock seems to be better managed and so the need for reactive works may be less to some extent as it has been more proactively managed over time. By contrast Epping is more focused on the forestry side of things and playing catch up with the management of the veteran trees so things like decay detection don't really happen as freely as you promote them. Saying that my time at Epping taught me a great deal and allowed me to learn things quickly as there wasn't the commercial time constraints that we have in contracting.

 

I tried to find the area that we climbed and that large Ash when I was up there a few weekends ago but couldn't seem to get my bearings, although it was six years since my visit! I would recommend the COL to anybody who gets the chance, you'll learn a lot!

[Kveldssanger]

He's getting there, picks up the books when he can and has a smorgasbord of different species every which way he looks on the Heath.

 

You know what its like Chris, the fung bug can be a magical lure

 

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Oh, indeed! Got a Kickstarter page up to get funding for a vaccine to cure it, but until then it's photos and books galore!

 

I stand by what I said, as well. I saw more fungi on the Heath in one day than I did in nearly an entire year where I work. That's the beauty of established woodland stands and veteran trees, I guess!

[David Humphries]

Set our current young Jedi recruit the task of removing his first sizeable Massaria branch on a plane tree.

 

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Edited April 24, 2016 by David Humphries

[David Humphries]

Set our current young Jedi recruit the task of removing his first sizeable Massaria branch on a plane tree

 

 

As part of the task he had to dismantle the branch in ten equal sized sections and throw each in to a target slightly in front and below him.

 

The first one hit the spot.

 

So, how many did the aspiring young arb manage to secure in the target zone?

 

 

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[David Humphries]

........So, how many did the aspiring young arb manage to secure in the target zone.

 

TWO !

 

More practice me thinks

 

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[sean]

Can't believe you didn't make him use his Silky:001_rolleyes:

[David Humphries]

Can't believe you didn't make him use his Silky:001_rolleyes:

 

Oh mr silky made an appearance once or twice

 

 

More practice me thinks

 

 

Collateral damage included;

 

One smashed greenhouse

One smashed bicycle

One smashed fence

One smashed bench

One smashed windscreen

 

More practice indeed

 

 

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Edited April 24, 2016 by David Humphries

[sean]

Collateral damage included;

 

One smashed greenhouse

[ATTACH]203495[/ATTACH]

One smashed bicycle

[ATTACH]203496[/ATTACH]

One smashed fence

[ATTACH]203497[/ATTACH]

One smashed bench

[ATTACH]203498[/ATTACH]

One smashed windscreen

[ATTACH]203499[/ATTACH]

 

More practice indeed

 

 

 

 

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Are these the ones from your personal mishaps scrapbook?

[David Humphries]

Are these the ones from your personal mishaps scrapbook?

 

Don't be silly........they'd be in black and white