Tech Cert Question

[sean]

If re-pollarding a tree which perhaps may have decades of growth carry out the work in stages....over a few years if possible.

 

When working on veteran oaks we will often reduce over a period of a few years. 10, 15% 1 year then the same the next. Monitoring the trees reaction to the work.

[Paul Barton]

That's reassuring, thanks.

 

As for b) I think it'd be worth mentioning the use of different pruning techniques for different species - target prune species that compartmentalise well and leave stubs on species that don't.

 

 

Although I totally agree with you, I am not certain how the examiners would react to leaving stubs as it flies in the face of traditional arboriculture a bit. I would hope if the reasoning was explained well then the examiners would mark this favourably.

[David Humphries]

Although I totally agree with you, I am not certain how the examiners would react to leaving stubs as it flies in the face of traditional arboriculture a bit. I would hope if the reasoning was explained well then the examiners would mark this favourably.

 

 

It's been 10 years since I sat my Tech Cert examinations, but I remmember well that if it wasn't in the usual suspects of Reference material, then a leftfield answer, no matter how favourably explained, wouldn't be given any due respect or mark.

 

Heard this was still the case recently during a PTI Course up at Merrist wood.

 

Would like to think that your hopes are starting to bear some fruit by now though Paul.

 

But I feel somewhat pessimistic

 

 

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[stevelucocq]

Hey thanks for everyone input it is a real help….I am still unclear about the part of the question that mentions "examples of particular genera where appropriate?"

 

also for C) with regards to increasing biodiversity how about drilling through areas of fungal decay in trees to break the boundaries of compartmentalization to aid the spread of the fungi?

Edited May 31, 2009 by stevelucocq

[Will Hinchliffe]

I think the reference to particular genera is trying to lead you into talking about pruning prunus in full leaf to prevent silver leaf desease as mentioned in BS39938 I think pruning Betula when the sap is rissing is also a no no in the outdated but still current BS39938.

[stevelucocq]

Thanks for that, just checked it out:

 

8 Season

Most tree work operations can be carried out at any

time of year. At certain times of the year, however,

a few species respond to wounding by production of

a copious exudation of watery liquid, resin or gum

(“bleeding”); except on Prunus species and resinous

conifers, work during these periods should be

avoided if possible.

NOTE The gum from Prunus species, produced in summer,

affords protection against certain diseases, e.g. silver-leaf and

bacterial canker.

[Will Hinchliffe]

I have the week off to revise for the exam. I am currently going through all the law stuff at the moment. Not long to go now!

[stevelucocq]

Yeah I feel I am making progress but some of the wordings of the past paper are so so....

 

also spotted this in the Draft BS 3998:

 

9.3.2 Species and cultivars

Species with little ability to react defensively against wounding (e.g. Betula spp.)

should be cut as sparingly as possible. Also, members of the Rosaceae and other

species with high susceptibility to the silver-leaf fungus (Chondrostereum

purpureum) should preferably be pruned only when their starch reserves are high,

following good growing conditions during summer (information about the time of

cutting is given in Clause 8).

When there is a need to prune species such as Salix spp., which tend to produce a

proliferation of very dense growth of weakly attached shoots from around each

wound, the resulting branches should be managed by cyclic cutting at appropriate

intervals, or selectively pruned until perhaps a stronger branch structure develops (see

also shoot renewal pruning; F.3).

If, due to problems which develop after pruning, crown management ceases to be a

good option for managing an established tree, replacement with a species or cultivar

more suited to the site should be considered.

NOTE 1 Hazards from weakly attached branches which develop after pruning are less likely to

develop if pruning is started on a formative basis when the trees are very young.

NOTE 2 Where it is important to assess the energy levels of the tree, this can be done by means of a

simple iodine staining test (see A new tree biology/Modern arboriculture [4,5]. This test ascertains the

concentration of starch in a sample from the last three sapwood increments taken from a small core

sample.

[Will Hinchliffe]

Cool I reckon that makes a pretty decent answer.

[Paul Barton]

Best of luck guys - definitely worth taking time off for some last minute swatting. Don't think I would have passed if I hadn't done that - even more so for the management day!