Managing Trees with Decay & Dysfunction

[Treecreeper1961]

:laugh1:Did you read the manual for the sounding hammer? "Must wear ear defenders when operating this equipment!"

 

Fascinating stuff.

 

Meripilus often rots the underneath of roots, I'm sure I remember you saying.( Sorry, missed that on first read,must be tired.) How does that effect the resonance of the sounding?

Edited September 12, 2012 by Treecreeper1961

[David Humphries]

Fascinating stuff. Did you come to any conclusions?

 

Meripilus often rots the underneath of roots, I'm sure I remember you saying. How does that effect the resonance of the sounding?

 

 

During previous airspade investigations on beech, we've noted the obvious fibrous white rotted roots of advanced Meripilus decay. (shots below)

 

The copper from today had higher pitched resonance (when tapped with the hammer) compared to the duller sound of the decayed roots from the tree below.

 

The tree from the following shots is still standing (reduced) but the side of the canopy associated with the decayed roots has shut down completely.

 

 

 

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[Treecreeper1961]

Yes, thanks David.

 

It takes quite a lot of practice with the hammer to get a feel for it.

 

Can you pick out differences between types of decay? I was wondering whether roots that are decayed on the underside give much of a clue. Depends on the extent I guess.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Interesting, certainly shows the root channels nicely.

 

a few questions that spring to mind, purely out of curiosity

 

So did you try to work out the area of the shear root ball and check for the presence of roots out to the area? what about the depth, and the areas suggested in the force cone model (mattheck) zones for presence of roots?

 

is there going to be any re modelling of the crown?

[David Humphries]

a few questions that spring to mind, purely out of curiosity

 

So did you try to work out the area of the shear root ball and check for the presence of roots out to the area? what about the depth, and the areas suggested in the force cone model (mattheck) zones for presence of roots?

 

is there going to be any re modelling of the crown?

 

 

Nope, didn't work it out.

 

On top of the issue of the presence of meripilus, the wider picture has a bearing on the next phase of managing this tree.

 

In the stormy weather of early June this year, the copper's nearest neighbour succumbed to both its own meripilus decay & the wind strength.

 

The failed tree would of dampened and shared the force of the prevailing & non prevailing winds.

Thus the copper is now subject to the potential of additional shear stress on its root plate.

 

With this and its location in mind, we'll be reducing the canopy of the copper by upto a couple of meters.

 

 

 

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[David Humphries]

a bit of footage from Nick Harrison productions.......

 

 

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[Paul Barton]

Nice set of photos, thanks David. It's great to see these investigations laid out step by step.

 

Did you attempt to clear soil away from the underside of any of the structural roots? When I have air-spaded Beech with Meripilus I have always been anxious to check the undersides of the roots as I understand the decay affects these parts first.

 

I had not thought of using a mallet on the roots - I'll be doing that from now on, thanks!

[David Humphries]

Nice set of photos, thanks David. It's great to see these investigations laid out step by step.

 

Did you attempt to clear soil away from the underside of any of the structural roots? When I have air-spaded Beech with Meripilus I have always been anxious to check the undersides of the roots as I understand the decay affects these parts first.

 

I had not thought of using a mallet on the roots - I'll be doing that from now on, thanks!

 

 

Howdee Paul,

 

we did uncover a few roots to check undersides but to be honest the nylon hammer did the job well enough without having to get underneath, as long as the sides of the roots are accesible for tapping.

 

Without a hammer it probably would be useful to get up close and tactile with the undersides.

 

 

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[David Humphries]

This beech its up on a bank above a main road.

Reduced a couple of times in the last twenty years, but nothing for perhaps the last 10.

 

A few prunning wounds & unions with cavaties that needed a closer look.

 

No 2 popped up with a pokey thing.

 

 

The begginings of the fruitbodies of Pholiota squarosa between one set of butresses.

 

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[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Oak with Inonotus dryadeus reduced 3-4 years ago. Im well happy!