Removing large limb from mature oak tree

[stevelucocq]

Ok,hi, today unfortunately we had to remove a large limb from a mature English Oak (no pics sorry). I understand the concept of pruning by removing the limb back to the branch collar and how this allows the tree to seal the wound. This is good practice with semi mature smaller/medium limbs. What my concerns were, were how this mature tree would deal with the removal of such a large limb. I feel that the removal of large limbs right back to the main trunk is not the best. This limb would have left a large wound into the main trunk and the branch collar was ill-defined with old wounds and burrs made it impossible to leave a good finishing cut (IMO).

 

Ok so what options did that leave us? Reducing the limb would have been a good option but a large amount of the limb had to be removed with little branches on the main section. Ok how about taking the limb back to leave a 2-metre remainder of the limb with coronet cuts to improve re-growth and also producing other good habitats?? This is kind of what we end up doing but whats other people views on this? thanks for any input cheers steve

[Andy R]

always prefer to leave some kind of limb than a large wound close to the trunk. A 2m stub like you say if there is no remaining brash on it. Would it have been within the remaining crown, or an eyesore from certain angles...??

[Tom D]

I,ve done that on a big horse chestnut before, but with oak you could probably get away with an ntp cut as the exposed heartwood is so resistant to decay. I have seen some very big wounds on oak that have completely healed, but with Aesculus or lime or something soft you might be right.

[stevelucocq]

na, not an eye sore as on the edge of old woodland where no one could see unless they really tried.

[David Humphries]

If the local environment is conducive Steve, I go with a fractured coronet every single time

 

 

A couple from a few weeks back.

 

 

 

The anti's will cringe for dragging up again, but have you checked out........

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=440

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[Andy R]

I'm not really up on all this coronet stuff, but I would much rather see that then a huge wound back to the main stem. There is one in Evesham in the pleasure gardens by the river...pretty much a twin stem crown and one half has been completely removed, god only knows why. The cut looks awful.

[stevelucocq]

If the local environment is conducive Steve, I go with a fractured coronet every single time

 

 

A couple from a few weeks back.

 

 

 

The anti's will cringe for dragging up again, but have you checked out........

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=440

.

 

yeah I have been aware of it since I heard about the National Trust winching out limbs a few year back. Am into the idea and keen to use it. This limb on this tree was a good size and also on a TPO tree. We decided on leaving a 2-metre section but we may well finish it off tomorrow with some coronet cuts. Ideally should be have winched or allowed a big rip out further up the limb? Again mentioned it to the supervisor but he seemed less than happy with the idea. In the new British Standards would this be acceptable on a TPO tree? Cheers steve