Last Beech Standing

[Mesterh]

I'd say that wall with its footings and its root severance , played a major part in the failure of the above tree..

 

Sorry to bang on a subject thats very close to my heart, but I'm thinking compaction, plays a major part in the failure of old beech trees ..

 

Your could be right with the wall and footings causing damage and possibly allowing the merrip to take a hold causing the failure.

 

If the failure was down to root severance only then I would have expected it to fall away from the wall no matter of the wind direction.

 

I dont think your banging on about it and I would like to hear more as I always try to give the best information that I know of to my customers.

You know how it is though any chance of damage/injury and its a case of remove the potential problem. Or its lawyer time!

 

I agree Mesterh, but would you recommend felling if the fungi was the cambium killer Armillaria mellea in the same abundance as the Merip and there was some mild dieback in the canopy or would you Picus and Air Spade root etc further investigation?

 

Honey fungus yep fell

 

Theres no way any of my clientele would pay for a picus and air spade investigation mate

 

Narr I'd hit it with a mallet and if it sounded 'good' I would suggest a deadwood, an aerial inspection and a 12 month monitor.

[Albedo]

I think ONCE there are some well documented studies on the success of investigating and monitoring of diseased trees and a properly set down criteria for retention. Then we will be in a position to move forward in a professional and quantifiable manner.

 

 

Agreed. And we are looking at just that right here right now. Not a dig at you skyhuck or anyone else voiceing their opinions, but want to make a post in support of this work.

 

We are not necessarily going to be saved by scientists, don't know why but there never has been enough research out there.

 

I know you can fight your own battles MD but.

 

MonkeyD is constantly using pioneering techniques, documenting and sharing them with us. Attending seminars etc. He's fortunate to be in a possition to do this but he's not wasting the opportunity. This is the frontier of arb, don't rely on little men in white coats in universities, you may have a long wait!!!!

[David Humphries]

Picus Tomograph March 2006

 

Not suprisingly, the picus did not pick up anything of great concern.

 

 

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In the interest of posting a complete picture, I have found the Picus report from 2006 and also been given permission by John Harraway to be able to show the Tomogram image .

 

 

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[David Humphries]

Posted the last picture, as Brian Grieg from The Arboricultural Advisory and Information Service (AAIS). showed an interesting case study at the NMN on a Copper Beech with Merip.

They got a stump grinder in, to uncover the decay progression within the above trees stump.

 

The decay was evident across and into the heart of the stump, upto approximately 50/60cm above ground level.

 

 

So it would appear to be a possiblity that you could (in theory at least) locate decay

from Merip ( or a. n. other heart wood/basal decay fungi ) with a Tomograph

 

 

 

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[Asplen]

This is a fascinating thread, please keep updating it. There are lots of debates in the office about Merispilus on Beech with the perhaps expected/conventional outcome for the tree unfortunately.

[David Humphries]

A different Beech, in a different situation.

Not isolated, so within canopy damping effect of adjacent neighbours.

 

Merip in evidence for the last three years as far as I know.

Fruiting around a third of the circumference of the plate on the slight down slope/compression side of the tree.

Corresponding die back of the conected parts of the canopy.

 

The object of the exercise was to uncover the extent of decay on the Merip side & compare against the non infected side of the plate.

 

The photos show the what was expected, and we will be reducing the canopy to bring it further inside the surrounding foliage & reducing down the declining stems to mitigate the hazard of these above desire line path target.

 

As well as further monitoring.

 

 

The fungi in pictures 10 & 11 is Oudemansiella - porcelain fungus, imo being saprophytic here between the butresses

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[gibbon]

When you prescribe/carry out pruning works to this tree do you consider the source/sink relationship between the roots and any large branches you are pruning?

 

I though the 1st reduction photos you posted looked like it was reduced pretty hard. Beech trees especially seem to have very distinct relationships between large roots and limbs.

 

I'm just wandering if you try to reduce the side of the tree with healthier roots harder to acheive the reduction in sail effect. I'm wandering if a reduction of the crown which is "tied" to the compromised roots may either accelerate root decay or slow down the growth of new roots in that area.

[David Humphries]

When you prescribe/carry out pruning works to this tree do you consider the source/sink relationship between the roots and any large branches you are pruning?

 

I though the 1st reduction photos you posted looked like it was reduced pretty hard. Beech trees especially seem to have very distinct relationships between large roots and limbs.

 

I'm just wandering if you try to reduce the side of the tree with healthier roots harder to acheive the reduction in sail effect. I'm wandering if a reduction of the crown which is "tied" to the compromised roots may either accelerate root decay or slow down the growth of new roots in that area.

 

 

 

As stated at the begining of the thread, I too believe we took far too much off during the original reduction works, & in hindsight would have reduced far less.

 

In terms of the above tree, I think that the declining side of the tree, (although still producing feeder roots) is already in a state beyond remedial reanimation.

 

So any works to this portion of the canopy may not have any additional detremental effect on the roots of this side of the tree.

 

Any works to the healthy/dynamic side of the canopy will be a retrenchment of a couple of meters or so, perhaps dependant on terminal bud scar length.

 

Will debate exact spec for reduction with who ever is up amongst that part of the canopy at that time.

 

 

 

 

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[paradise]

Really interesting thread thanks monkeyd. Could you explain pruning 'dependant on terminal bud scar length'? I'm not sure what that means.

[Mozza]

Incredible David, very good read this thread, something i should spend more time studying myself, fungi etc, Although in truth i probably wont id like to think one day i will!!