Potential ANCIENT tree removal

[Ross Smith]

To be fair to mr bristow

That bag has been hammered for nearly 3 yrs now and is still lookin slick and shiny just like its inventor apart from the slick and shiny bit

 

 

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[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

Interesting job Ross.

Incidentally, what did your core samples reveal? Did you manage to carry out any fractometer tests or shake tests on the cores taken?

If not, it might be nice to do some tests as a learning exercise.

I look forward to seeing more pictures (including the replacement tree!).

[Ross Smith]

I took Tony's advice and didn't bother too core drill but will do once I get it too a felling height just to see if I was listening in my bio mechanics course down under.

Daily pics to follow plus stump pics.

The wind is due to pick up down here which may cause my sphincter to twitch slightly but at the end of the day it's a terrible shame she is coming down and would more than likely survive a retention but my client has opted for the fell but to cut a long story short he was very reluctant to fell

 

 

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[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I took Tony's advice and didn't bother too core drill but will do once I get it too a felling height just to see if I was listening in my bio mechanics course down under.

Daily pics to follow plus stump pics.

The wind is due to pick up down here which may cause my sphincter to twitch slightly but at the end of the day it's a terrible shame she is coming down and would more than likely survive a retention but my client has opted for the fell but to cut a long story short he was very reluctant to fell

 

 

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reluctant to fell but its felled, this is a crime.

[Ross Smith]

Shall I hand myself in at the nearest police station first thing tomorrow tony ??

 

 

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[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Shall I hand myself in at the nearest police station first thing tomorrow tony ??

 

 

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you know what Imsaying, i dont blame you, its down to some of us to make these retentions viable and justifiable so there is no longer ambiguity or uncertainty surrounding it, a difficult cause as were dealing with a living thing.

 

as Claus Mattheck always says "we are dealing with the most difficult type of engineering, the organic"

[Ross Smith]

I totally understand what your saying and I put up a gd fight for the tree but when the client i.e joe bloggs on the street gets spooked it's very difficult to sway them the down the correct path.

Given the right location and surroundings this tree could of lived on for another 300 + easy but it's done very well to survive this long given that mankind has been living within for its entire life

At the end if the day I strongly feel that safety stands above all and that another Fagus will be replanted to continue this beautiful cycle of the worlds finest wonder that is TREES

 

 

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[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

as Mr Oliver rackam once said "10 100 year old oaks cannot replace a 1000 year old oak tree"

 

They cant be simply replanted, old trees.

[Ross Smith]

Tony you should of been a tree

 

 

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[sloth]

Tony you should of been a tree

 

 

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Bizarre comment! What species?

 

 

 

 

I think that the chances of this occurring are in the region of zero or may as well be, I mean if we do NOTHING there is a 1-10,000,000 chance somebody will die from a tree at sometime in the u.k, now if i was to asses and manage the risks in this tree how much will the odds decrease?

 

Only playing devils advocate here:

The 1 in 10,000,000 chance (given in the NTSG common sense guide?) is based on past accident figures. Figures which are from a long history of overcautious urban tree management. If everyone tries to retain veterans to the extreme, over time those figures are likely to change, are they not?

I'm not necessarily referring to this tree, or saying we shouldn't retain urban vets. I hope from my posts you know I'm all for retaining trees with character and ecological niches, and think you do a fine promoting this

 

Another point to consider, or challenge in retention is the ongoing cost to the tree owner wishing to retain iffy trees. Obviously there is the cost of practically 'managing down', reductions, possible road closures during works etc. Then there is the cost of periodic formal inspections, which would probably, as per NTSG guidance, be needed in cases like the beech above; where defects are known but deemed for reasons of amenity or ecology worth retaining with reasoned, appropriate management plans.

As an experienced arb contractor, capable and confident to do this, you (or any other like-minded tree surgeon) would need professional indemnity insurance. Its all good and well giving advice on Mrs Miggins prize Magnolia for free (as you might do it as quote to win work and recoup time/money), but these sort of retentions DO lead to increased exposure to liability; sometimes resulting in less tree surgery works for you. Therefore to cover costs of inspecting and protect yourself, you would need to charge accordingly to cover your time and insurance, further CPD etc...

 

I think urban vets and large or 'over mature' trees NEED to be retained wherever and whenever possible. And with honest advice, without looking at increasing your dwindling firewood stack or seeing an opportunity for charge for a big technical take-down (as too often happens, but that's another battle!) these trees can often be kept at minimal cost to the owner.

 

It is rare for a tree or branch to 'prematurely' fail (Like there is a mature time for it to fail?!). With wider knowledge and understanding more tree surgeons, who are really quite often the 'guardians of tree's, might be comfortable retaining ancient/veteran/over-mature/dying trees. Maybe even without losing out financial! We just need a shift in industry mentality, just!

Edited November 20, 2012 by sloth