Thermal Imaging

[sawwork]

Hi

We have a tree surgery company based in the NE Scotland and we have had two requests from clients for thermal imaging. The problem is the contact no etc for Marcus is unobtainable does anyone know if he still does it?

 

We have used thermal imaging very successfully several times but not for over a year now so just wondering whats happening with it,

[Paul Barton]

Try Andrew Cowan at Thermoecology. His 'thermoecology' website does not appear to work any more, but his main website is Arborecology Ltd

[sawwork]

Hi Paul

 

Thanks for that but unfortunately that site is also giving number unobtainable and cannot display page on thermal imaging. I have sent an email so hopefully Andrew will get back to me but it doesnt look promising. Any other ideas please?

[ScottF]

Out of interest, what are you hoping to determine from the thermal imaging? Dr Catena's presentation at the Arb conference suggested that thermal imaging can be sued without "expensive software" as a tool to investigate vigour and heat exchanges within the tree. As such, it might certainly be something worth looking at.

 

He does not claim that it is a decay detection tool, and recent research suggests that it is not reliable in detecting cavities, let alone their extent and significance.

[sawwork]

Thats interesting, we were wanting to look at possible dysfunction/cavities etc and results we had from previous imaging seemed justified when the trees came down, other trees were left in situ on the basis of favourable results

[ScottF]

There's currently nothing in the literature to suggest that this is a reliable means of directly detecting cavities or decay in trees.

 

When you used it previously, did the thermal imaging results suggesting cavities correspond with actual cavities?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

thermo is for detecting root functionality and therefore vigor/vitality needed to compensate for decay

[ScottF]

True, Tony, but I think what people think of when they think of decay detection (and I'm happy to be wrong about this), is finding out "where" and "how much" decay they're dealing with, and ideally the causal agent. By Dr Catens'a admission, TI does not (currently) do this.

 

That said, the assessment of vitality as a piece in the puzzle (not to mention how quick and inexpensive it can be), is what's made me follow the development of TI as a technology, despite some early misappropriation of Dr C's work.

[PhilBeech]

Personally, I am a big fan of a £3.50 sounding hammer. I suppose that doesn't impress the client though eh?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

True, Tony, but I think what people think of when they think of decay detection (and I'm happy to be wrong about this), is finding out "where" and "how much" decay they're dealing with, and ideally the causal agent. By Dr Catens'a admission, TI does not (currently) do this.

 

That said, the assessment of vitality as a piece in the puzzle (not to mention how quick and inexpensive it can be), is what's made me follow the development of TI as a technology, despite some early misappropriation of Dr C's work.

 

if you know decay, thermo can be invaluable

 

Personally, I am a big fan of a £3.50 sounding hammer. I suppose that doesn't impress the client though eh?

 

thats fine on MOST scenarios, but what if the client or situation, tree value etc dictate a high level of acuracy in assesment? and picus can not be relied on (see ann frank tree)