BIG Oak tree. How safe?

[Lukey-Loki]

Hi guys.

Hope i'm in the right section for this. Forgive me if not, this is my first post.

 

This oak tree is in the grounds of a property where a gardener friend of mine works.

 

Anyway, on a particularly rainy morning, I packed in my work for the day and popped over to have a cuppa and a look round the grounds. I noticed the cavity at the base and looking closer it appears to be pretty much hollow.

 

Bit concerning as house is only the other side of gravel driveway (see pic1).

 

What sort of prognosis does a tree like this have? How long will it last living only on its buttress roots?

 

Would it be safe enough with a crown reduction/thin?

 

Cheers. Luke.

[David Humphries]

Hello Luke, welcome to the site.

 

The Oak looks to be showing the signs of adaptation to an age old and on going colonisation to a basal decay interaction (possibly Inonotus dryadeus)

 

Although the images aren't particularly clear it would appear to show a relatively healthy and (vascularly) functioning canopy & to be coping with this situation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A friendly word of advice though, photos and Internet discussion are not a good recipe or replacement for thorough on site assessment, particularly on a tree that may need further professional inspection.

.

[AlvinD]

Interesting! I'll be watching this...

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Hello Luke, welcome to the site.

 

The Oak looks to be showing the signs of adaptation to an age old and on going colonisation to a basal decay interaction (possibly Inonotus dryadeus)

 

Although the images aren't particularly clear it would appear to show a relatively healthy and (vascularly) functioning canopy & to be coping with this situation.

A friendly word of advice though, photos and Internet discussion are not a good recipe or replacement for thorough on site assessment, particularly on a tree that may need further professional inspection.

.

 

I think Davids hunch is spot on, this is what is commonly reffered to as Eiffel tower syndrome or body language, and very very typical of Inonotus dryadeus.

 

and I can only re iterate Davids comments:thumbup1:

[leotandoh12]

I work on an estate where theres 3 oak that i can sit in, and they are perfectly healthy, i thinned one a few months ago.

[Lukey-Loki]

[quote name=A friendly word of advice though, photos and Internet discussion are not a good recipe or replacement for thorough on site assessment, particularly on a tree that may need further professional inspection.

.[/quote]

 

Thank you David.

 

I agree with you about the proper assessment.

Is there anyone you or anyone else would recommend down here in East Sussex?

 

Luke.

[Lukey-Loki]

I think Davids hunch is spot on, this is what is commonly reffered to as Eiffel tower syndrome or body language, and very very typical of Inonotus dryadeus.

 

and I can only re iterate Davids comments:thumbup1:

 

Thanks Tony. That's a great name for it

[David Humphries]

Is there anyone you or anyone else would recommend down here in East Sussex?.

 

Worth considering the Arb Associations directory of consultants as a starting point, as I don't believe any one from this site is listed on Arbtalks 'Arborist Directory' (Consultants) search database for that area.

 

Directory of Tree Consultants - Arboricultural Association

 

 

Find Arborists , Tree surgeons, consultants in your area

.

[18 stoner]

That tree untouched is likely to still be standing, when all those reading this thread have passed away.

 

Then again, as a tree surgeon you could advise an overall crown reduction to reduce sail effect and risk of catastrophic failure close to a publically accessible place, draw up an intensive management schedule where the tree will need to be inspected via climbing annually, and eventually fell it in 5 or 6 years due to the, by then extra levels of caution imposed by insurance companies, training colleges and the media.

 

 

 

On a serious note, its amazing what a tree can do if its left to its own devices, especially oak.

[TMJ]

I work on an estate where theres 3 oak that i can sit in, and they are perfectly healthy, i thinned one a few months ago.

 

Got one like that here...thought I had lost one of my sheep a while ago when counting my small flock and then the last one popped out of the oak next to me!