Retrenching a Willow, US style

[treeseer]

No, it's not another one of my boring stories. This one's by a colleague in another corner of the US. Howard Gaffin did a bang-up job on managing this tree, and a fine job of reporting the story.

 

Note his spec--cut locations "based on the size of the cut (the smaller, the better), evidence of existing decay, and the presence of live growth or nodal areas." Howard imposed no artificial guidelines like distance from the fork. Instead, he let the tree call the cuts, and he listened well. Page 32

 

TCI Magazine March 2013

[Gary Prentice]

I'm not trying to be argumentative but it can be explained and justified as much as anyone likes, it's still topping.

 

Either the industry, the British Standards and ANSI, are going to one day agree that in certain situations it becomes an acceptable form of management. Or the debate will continue ad infinitum.

 

Me, I'm sitting on the fence.

[Gray git]

we have carried out some retrenching on some big old oaks which has had a good result of forcing the tree to develop a lower internal canopy so as the top is reduced over several visits the tree still has a good leaf structure to feed itsels and minimise stress.

It is topping but in slow motion and when done well will mean a tree that outherwise would be removed can be retained and managed but like anything it has to be the right tree in the right location.

[Gary Prentice]

we have carried out some retrenching on some big old oaks which has had a good result of forcing the tree to develop a lower internal canopy so as the top is reduced over several visits the tree still has a good leaf structure to feed itsels and minimise stress.

It is topping but in slow motion and when done well will mean a tree that outherwise would be removed can be retained and managed but like anything it has to be the right tree in the right location.

 

I read a paper I while back, possibly by the ancient tree forum or helen read/ted green, on retrenchment pruning on beech lapsed pollards. It may have been Hatfield Forest. The early attempts were disappointing with a high percentage of fatalities. Later attempts, starting with secateurs, were more successful. But as you're describing it's carried out over a period of time. I think with the beech it may have been twenty to thirty years.

 

I wasn't disagreeing with Treeseers post, as such. More with the articles authors need to justify his work. I think it's a subject that divides the industry. On one side it's a perfectly justifiable technique to retain mature and veteran trees and on the other its a means of controlling size cos Mrs Miggins thinks its too big.

 

In both cases its a form of management, but one seems to be for all the wrong reasons - perfectly good trees and unnecessary work.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I think retrenchment pruning needs elaboration!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

nothing complicate there Guy, not retrenchment, just a pollard

[Gary Prentice]

I think retrenchment pruning needs elaboration!

 

Whilst writing my post I did actually have a quick revision of 3998. It's quite informative and one of the more definitive parts of the recommendation/standard. As I understand it, it's usage is to mimic the natural growing down/inwards as senility occurs. Particularly used for restoration of lapsed pollards, where a single hit, back to the pollard knuckle would be too drastic.

Sorry if I'm a bit rambling, I was on site at half six and just got home.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Whilst writing my post I did actually have a quick revision of 3998. It's quite informative and one of the more definitive parts of the recommendation/standard. As I understand it, it's usage is to mimic the natural growing down/inwards as senility occurs. Particularly used for restoration of lapsed pollards, where a single hit, back to the pollard knuckle would be too drastic.

Sorry if I'm a bit rambling, I was on site at half six and just got home.

 

was aimed at the OP anyway fella, but yep, you got it:thumbup:

[David Humphries]

Note his spec--cut locations "based on the size of the cut (the smaller, the better), evidence of existing decay, and the presence of live growth or nodal areas." Howard imposed no artificial guidelines like distance from the fork. Instead, he let the tree call the cuts, and he listened well. Page 32

 

Thanks for the link Guy.

 

 

 

This willow faired badly in big storm a few years back.

Hence the heavy handed original cuts.

 

Becoming a pretty hollow shell now & delicate to climb, so one of the non silver backs gets the task

 

Trying not to let the new canopy get big enough to tear off so it gets a tickle every couple of years.

 

First images from 2010, latter ones yesterday

.

[Gary Prentice]

Definitely one for the bantam weight climber.........