Beach Cavity

[Backpain]

I've been asked to reduce the canopy of one limb of a large beach tree. My concern is a cavity at the lower part of the limb. The guy from the planning dept has viewed the tree and doesn't see any danger with it. He suggested the cavity had taken 50% of the limb section and there was good reactive growth around the cavity. On a practical level there's a hell of a lot of weight on this part of the limb and the it's on the side where all the tension should be, so the front and sides of the limb are taking all the weight because its leaning.

Q1 - would you climbing it to carryout the reduction?

Q2 - does it pose any danger to the people whoes garden it overhangs? (its not their tree)

[MattyF]

Pics ?

[Backpain]

Thought I'd loaded them.

[Backpain]

Hopefully with photo's this time. Its the limb on the far right on the second photo

[RobRainford]

There no fibre buckling or evidence of stress. The decay could have only gone as far as the old branch went so may have taken less than you think. It looks as though it's on the side of the branch? The pruning cut wasnt brilliant so there could be some further decay, If you are concerned look at reducing the end weight and lever arm acting on the union. If it can hold up in full weight, why not at 70-80%?

[Backpain]

The cavity is on the the back/outside face and there's no signes of stress, no bark fracturing either. The cavity is quite old. probably 30 years and was filled with cement. There's no sign of fungal infection. I'm really trying to assess the risk before I go up there and decide if the stress of felling out the top will cause me to **** my pants before I die :-)

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

There is a sign of mechanical load deviation, that sign is in the woundwood, it is thicker on the compression side. Angiosperm trees use tension wood as a rule, so a shift to compression wood (normal in gymnosperms) is a sign of stress loading, the limb is also going co dominant/phototropic and i would be in NO hessitation in reducing this limb especialy the vertical shoot trying to make for the lead role.

[malarkey]

hi, i'v not not been working as an arborist for long, so it is most likely that i have read it wrong at some point. (i'll need to go back into the book to check).

I thought Angiosperm relied on compression wood more for mechanical loading. so a wound to the top side would not create as big a problem.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

hi, i'v not not been working as an arborist for long, so it is most likely that i have read it wrong at some point. (i'll need to go back into the book to check).

I thought Angiosperm relied on compression wood more for mechanical loading. so a wound to the top side would not create as big a problem.

 

Angiosperms tension, gymnosperms compression.

 

Your making me wanna go and check you toad!

[malarkey]

you are not suprisingly right. thats what i get for using my memory, over commen sence.