Holding back the years.........

[David Humphries]

Techniques vary on how Burnham start new pollards.

From classic topping cuts on young trees around the old vets that double up as halo claerance for increased light levels, to using basque axe cutting.

 

"These old trees will not live forever, despite the care and attention lavished on them. It is therefore essential that continuity of habitat (and landscape value) is achieved by starting a new generation of pollards. The initial plantation area has been extended and new pollards created in the course of other work. Some can be made when the clearance work is carried out around the old pollards, some when heathland restoration is done and some (slightly larger) trees have been cut around a car park that would have become safety issues in the long term. The aim is for 1,000 of these replacement trees in total; there are currently over 850. For more information about the detailed responses see Read et al. (2010)."

 

 

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[David Humphries]

I'll try and find out how many 'new' pollards are created each year & how long that has been going on..

 

Just found out from Jez Young at Burnham that they create between 30-40 each year, this has been going on since 2007 but originally started back in 1990.

 

Frustratingly they lose upto 50% of these in part or totally to squirrel damage

 

 

 

 

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[treeseer]

"Only a very distant vague memory of that one, any pointers as to where it was?"

 

the oak was said to be ~1000 years old; i got the pics from mr. gairn april 2011 as i was researching the article. that's all i got sorry.

 

Great questions by ARob; there is much work to be done to tighten up specs so we are not left with ~>500mm as a quasiguideline, or tree pruning is merely left up to "the professional's discretion", neither of which bode well for successful outcomes imo.

 

re implements, i have a bias against chainsaws and only use them per need, much preferring handsaw or pole tools. so i have to wonder why the only tools considered in some research are chainsaws or "bladed tools" aka axes, or maybe halberds like that dwarf in the hobbit movies lugged around.

 

trees are not orcs for goshsakes. unless the criteria for the study are more historical than arboricultural; that i could understand.

Edited February 11, 2013 by treeseer

[Eddy_t]

 

re implements, i have a bias against chainsaws and only use them per need, much preferring handsaw or pole tools. so i have to wonder why the only tools considered in some research are chainsaws or "bladed tools" aka axes, or maybe halberds like that dwarf in the hobbit movies lugged around.

 

The main reason of discussing axes and other bladed objects for pollarding is these tools were easy to manufacture, and would have been easy for the woodsman to acquire, so these would have been the tools to use for pollarding, the axe for initiating the pollard, and then a billhook to operate a management technique, as this tool has probably the broadest uses, whilst hand saws would have been difficult to produce and maintain, therefore expensive, and out of reach to the humble woodsman

[agg221]

Thanks David, very interesting to get a bit of background on the longer term plan. I suppose in the grand scheme of things there weren't any grey squirrels in the UK when any of the original pollards were being formed, or probably even last worked.

 

Alec

[treeseer]

The main reason of discussing axes and other bladed objects for pollarding is these tools were easy to manufacture, and would have been easy for the woodsman to acquire, so these would have been the tools to use for pollarding, the axe for initiating the pollard, and then a billhook to operate a management technique, as this tool has probably the broadest uses, whilst hand saws would have been difficult to produce and maintain, therefore expensive, and out of reach to the humble woodsman

 

Thanks yes i figured the reasons were historical, which is all good, but limits usefulness of the research for the future.

 

The humble woodsman of 2013 can more easily access and use a polesaw or handsaw than a chainsaw. Using the chainsaw as the preferred tool in the studies seems to go out of the way to give advantage to--or glamorize?--the bladed tools. by thunder it smacks of classism and discriminates against those of limited means (or in some cases a bias against those noisy stinking greasy hi-mtc boat anchors).

 

i used to have a helper who cranked up the stihl to whack every 1 cm twig; drove me nuts. it's obvious i have yet to recover.

[David Humphries]

Thanks yes i figured the reasons were historical, which is all good, but limits usefulness of the research for the future.:

 

See you're missing the bigger picture here Guy, the humble woodsman/woman can vent all his/her frustrations out on the trees all day long and go home to mrs/mr woodsman a sweet and loving husband/wife

 

 

 

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[David Humphries]

I suppose in the grand scheme of things there weren't any grey squirrels in the UK when any of the original pollards were being formed, or probably even last worked.

 

Alec

 

Maybe not the branch stripping associated with squirrels, but trunk damage would of always been an issue I guess from deer & ponies, like on this one from the latter at Burnham.

 

 

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[Thomas Flower-Ellis]

Hey everybody,

 

This is only my second post on here - new to the forum - so please go easy on the greenhorn

 

I work in Central Norway, where professional tree care is a largely unknown field. This is both a good - and a lamentable - situation, since massive leaps in awareness, attitudes and policy are required in order to establish a market for serious, professional Arb. On the other hand, those of us at the forefront of the industry over here can draw on fantastic resources overseas (particularly the UK), in order to place the bar at the highest level from the outset in all areas. An extremely challenging goal, one I approach with no small degree of humility... and childlike excitement

 

I've been glued to this thread for the last hour, truly fascinating stuff. Many thanks to all contributors for an enlightening dive into veteran tree/ pollard management!

 

Questions: What up-to-date publication(s) on (a) Veteran Tree Management and (b) Pollard establishment/ maintenance would you guys recommend? I gather that BS3998 will provide an insight (it's on my shopping list), but I'm also interested in other sources. Is the Arboricultural Journal a members-only AA publication?

 

Once again, many thanks. I look forward to engaging with y'all in an open, constructive and positive dialogue in the time to come

[David Humphries]

Questions: What up-to-date publication(s) on (a) Veteran Tree Management and (b) Pollard establishment/ maintenance would you guys recommend? I gather that BS3998 will provide an insight (it's on my shopping list), but I'm also interested in other sources. Is the Arboricultural Journal a members-only AA publication?:

 

 

Hello Thomas, welcome to the site.

 

Very glad that you have found this thread of interest.

 

You may be able to get hold of a copy of the Arb journal from Taylor Francis on line

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tarb20?mobileUi=0

 

This is not specifically new, but still of relevance.

Pollard and Veteran Tree Management II - 0852030703 9780852030707: NHBS: Helen Read

 

& keep an eye out for a soon to be published book on Ancient and Veteran tree management in the next couple of months.

 

 

Look forward to further posts from you

 

Regards David

 

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