Thoughts please on a Beech problem

[detritus21]

Been looking at a potential job today in a church yard. Among the very poorly Horse Chestnut and a Beech with Ganoderma there was a rather large Beech.

 

This Beech is approx 7 feet DBH approx 60 feet tall with typical included unions of a Beech that size. It spreads over a busy road and over the church yard. On the whole it looked in good health still a full canopy no signs of die back. But with two fruiting bodies at the base of the trunk. Think they were a type of Merip. See Pic.

 

 

Given the location for both potential damage and the amenity of the tree what are your thoughts. Should it be left and monitored should it be felled. Its difficult to know how far the rot process will have gone. There are definite liability issues to be had.

[RobArb]

Which churchyard was it in?

 

Sent from Rob's GalaxySII

[detritus21]

That would be telling.

 

Seriously though St Marks in Scarisbrick tis a big bugger of a tree.

[RobArb]

seen that beech your on about, its the one on the main road where you can turn left down to birkdale isn't it? I drive past there most weekends, its a big tree!

 

Have you seen the meripilus thread and read the opinions of different people?

[detritus21]

That's the tree. I've read on and off in the thread could be worth a revisit

[RobArb]

if it is defo merip (and i suppose it does look like it) then long term the tree is pretty screwed, and knowing that location and where the tree is then you probably know yourself what to do:biggrin:

 

Conservation area that though isn't it?

[detritus21]

Strangely not in a conservation area or TPO'd. What got me about the whole thoughts about the job in question is the graveyard committee had been and had recommended that the trees be looked at for overhanging branches on the road side. Not the glaringly obvious fruiting bodies and the Canker ridden chestnut on site. I think its one I'll be mulling over for a few days yet

[RobArb]

I'll go have a look at the weekend, i'm going to southport anyway, and no i'm not trying to pinch your prospective job:lol:, i'd just be interested to look thats all..

 

I know what i'd be recommending though looking at some of the pics in the meripilius thread

[armybloke]

Its Merip for sure Rob, I think the verdict whether short term or in a few months is this one will have a short life - shame though

[Treecreeper1961]

Hi Detritus,

Hope you don't mind me commenting, what with me being a newbie and all.....

I'm not exactly experienced in matters of the Meripilus but have read about it recently studying the Tech. cert. arb.

This is one of those difficult decisions to make, a tree with considerable amenity, and probably conservation value, showing what appears to be possibly early parasitic infection by a fungi capable of causing windthrow.

The reality is that the tree's prognosis is only going to get worse. The target risk is high. If the decision to remove the tree is delayed for years the safety of those that pass by and especially those inevitably employed to remove the tree is brought further into question.

If the tree stood in a park or less intensely used location perhaps the options would be more inviting to explore but in this situation, why delay the inevitable.

Trees may be more appealing than many people but I am sure our consciences would suffer less by the felling of even such a fine tree than the tragedy that could be the alternative.

I don't know how exactly investigations on the underside of roots are undertaken or how easily the findings are assessed?

It is not a responsibility I would relish but I think I would recommend the removal of this tree.