Who wants a cavity search?

[Matthew Arnold]

After 2 days of solid strimming i did some tree checks on our Oaks at Stour Meadows. I saw one of the Oaks has Inonotus dryadeus growing in the butress roots. It wasnt there last year but was aware there was a cavity forming but wasnt sure how bad it was... until today. With my mums camera i got some shots of the cavity and i think is goodbye Oak. It has Ganoderma badly in the cavity. I counted at least 6 brackets. TO has been informed about the tree. It has two major targets (building and busy footpath) within falling distance. Nothing is nesting in there so it may have to be a summer felling job.

[Parker]

Nice photos - looks like a fair sized Oak tree!

[Matthew Arnold]

Nice photos - looks like a fair sized Oak tree!

 

Tis a biggen. Approx age - 250 years old. Shame its got very rotten and its a very heavily use public area. Would like to manage accordingly but would have to fence area off. Last fence we put up was destroyed and set fire by the local oiks.

[Parker]

Could you not go for a heavy reduction instead of a removal to save it as habitat?

[Matthew Arnold]

Could you not go for a heavy reduction instead of a removal to save it as habitat?

 

Thats what i was thinking to doing. Fracture prune to a pollard or similar. It has sent out rot crown branches so the rot is fairly extensive.