Ancient and other veteran trees: further guidance on management

[David Humphries]

The Ancient Tree Forum board have now made the decision to release this book as a free download in electronic format via the VETree resource web page.

The paper version is still available to purchase.

 

This will hopefully circulate it to a wider readership.

 

Vetree - Veteran Tree Network

 

 

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[treeseer]

Did they add a chapter on supplemental support, or is it still lacking that guidance?

 

I've shown the VETree vid on pruning to US folks, and they have a real hard time getting beyond the rip cuts. I try to explain that wildlife can be a major objective, sometimes at the expense of tree health, and the focus needs to be on how the tree will do in 5-10-50+ years.

It's like PPE--if people see a guy without a hard hat in a vid, that is all they will talk about. Maddening. I make rip cuts when i can't get a good undercut with a polesaw, but intentional wounding to favor saproxylics does not fit most assignments here.

[David Humphries]

Did they add a chapter on supplemental support, or is it still lacking that guidance.......

 

No Guy, it's the same version as when it was first published in February 2013.

 

Chapter 7 makes reference to supplementary support, in relation to what's covered in BS 3998....

 

Management of weak structures

• Flexible restraint systems (BS 3998: Clause 10.4)

• Rigid bracing (BS 3998: Clause 10.5)

• Propping (BS 3998: Clause 10.6)

• Guying unstable trees (BS 3998: Clause 10.7)

• Other attachments to trees (BS 3998: Clause 11)

• Encouragement of layering and of ground support for branches (BS 3998: Appendix C.3)

 

 

 

I guess the books big enough as it is without adding individual chapters on different specifications.

 

 

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[woodyguy]

Thanks for posting the link David. Plenty to feast on there over the festive season.

[David Humphries]

Your welcome, it's a very useful read/resource

 

 

 

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[KTSmith]

Thank you very making the book freely available for downloading. Much to absorb and learn from!

[treeseer]

It's not the same as feeling the fibers of the page, and seeing the soy stains convey concepts, but the price is right!

The coverage of surveys and populations and saproxylics and pollards is state of the art, and fits the VETree mission. But from here it appears (after 7 months of working at it) that the guidance on assessments and treatments is difficult to translate to other continents.

In my limited view, the book embraces intentional wounding without question, based in large part on aesthetic preference and despite the unnecessary stress on the tree system.

Despite 1000's of examples in the field, and 100's of studies on supplemental support, that practice is dismissed. Without any guidance on installing a little cable to hold trees together, heavy pruning is the only recommended option.

 

There is much good in this guidance, but I hate see the loss of living resource, and the extreme wounding on old trees.

In the US, we have different cultural biases and limitations, like anywhere, so we're no better just different.

 

Kevin, if you get a chance, where I'm off base please correct my US-centric view of the difference in cultural approaches, and the implications. O AND HO HO HO!

[KTSmith]

Thanks Guy for the invitation. I lurk in Arbtalk more than I post, to be sure. I usually jump in to express gratitude as above or to correct matters of fact from my own work or my FS colleagues (including Dr. Shigo). And even then, sometimes it's worth the effort and sometimes not.

I must admit that as with Treebuzz, you often beat me to the punch. And that is a good thing. As we pretty much agree on the bulk of the important stuff, I usually don't split the hairs any more finely. But sure, I'll be more present when I feel the need.

 

As for paper vs. electronic copies, Of course I agree that print is superior in many ways, particularly in books that were actually printed with actual printing plates, where the characters of type are actually impressed onto the paper. Still, I have electronic copies (courtesy of archive.org) of English translations of Hartig, Busgen and Munch, etc. that I likely could not afford. I have access to good library services, so for new books, if I check them out more than twice, I do buy them. Otherwise, the library borrowing works well. Oops, off topic again.

[David Humphries]

Whilst on an Ancient Tree Forum visit to Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire today I was reminded of how good this book is. Although it's three years old it's still very relevant and a good resource for those interested in managing ancient and veteran trees.

 

Having its author (Dr David Lonsdale) and others at hand during todays visit to discuss various topics around old trees and tree health is as ever a great bonus to field trips with ATF.

 

The book is still available as a PDF download from the VETree website or just £30 for the actual handbook via the Treecouncils webpage.

 

Ancient and other veteran trees: further guidance on management - Publications 1 : The Tree Council

 

Vetree - Veteran Tree Network

 

Review of ‘Ancient and other veteran trees: further guidance on management’

 

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[Kveldssanger]

Buy the book, guys! Support the ATF and Tree Council.