Any thoughts on the management of this oak?

[agg221]

Our land runs right to the parish boundary. On the corner is this oak. It's a great specimen and a bit of a local landmark. It is vigorous, reasonably sized (41" dbh) and shows no obvious signs of decay.

 

There are a few points I would welcome thoughts on. Worth noting that this is a rural setting, and that I am quite happy with 'natural' management methods (fracture pruning, leaving standing deadwood etc).

 

Firstly, as you can see from the second and third images, the farmer who looks after our field has just taken the flail mower to it (I've asked him to leave it in future as I will look after it myself!). Nothing major, but would you leave completely alone, trim back the broken bits or cut back neatly to unions or something else?

 

Secondly, as you can see from the fourth and fifth images, the roadside face of the tree has been heavily damaged from grain lorries trying to make the turn the wrong way (the farmer has told them you can't do this, but they have tried anyway). From the way the bark has been stripped, then there is evidence of re-growth and then more stripping, it appears it happens from time to time. Am I better off leaving it alone or taking off the dead bark around the edges? I have a bit of space between the kerb and the tree, so was thinking of putting some form of upright ironwork structure right on the edge to take the impact first - any thoughts on this (am I just making myself liable if someone hits it?) or is there something else anyone can think of to stop another lorry hitting it?

 

Finally, there is a decent sized stem of ivy going up into it (4" across). Would you take it off completely, keep it trimmed back to the main trunk but stop it working its way out along the branches or leave it alone so long as it doesn't dominate the crown, since the tree is not yet retrenching?

 

Any other thoughts welcome.

 

Alec

[Graham]

I'd leave as is. The more clearance you create the closer the wagons will get. Nice bit of fracture pruning there:001_smile: As for the ivy I always leave for wildlife unless it's compromising the integrity of the tree.

[Graham]

By the way...off topic but just thought about it. The Bramley apple I have that you advised on is fruiting beautifully. Cut and tied down branches:thumbup1:

[Gary Prentice]

I'd remove the ivy because the drivers could be contacting with the trunk because the ivy is obscuring their view, in that, they can see foliage only and don't know where the trunk is until they hit it.

[treesrus]

btggas - good point clear the trunk up to at least 6' for a clear view, but let the ivy be in the crown. and maybe park an old tractor right on the corner.

[agg221]

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Visibility is quite important - the tree is on the junction of a narrow lane and an A road (you can just see both in the first image).

 

The lane runs behind the tree in the first picture, the damage to the tree shown in images 4 and 5 therefore being on the far side. This means that the low, flailed growth is on the field side (foreground of the first image).

 

Having taken into account thoughts, I have done the following:

 

1. Removed the loose, hanging bits but left the ends fractured.

2. Cleared the ivy up as high as I can reach (for visibility) but left the big, 4" stem intact so there will be plenty of growth retained up the trunk. In the process, I have also uncovered a lot of nails which I will remove (says the miller with an eye to a good butt....!) Having had a closer look, the ivy is beginning to work its way out along the branches, which I don't like so much as the tree has a few stags-head branches and an internal canopy so I am guessing the beginning of natural retrenchment and I would rather not smother it out. I will wait until the nesting season is well and truly over and then cut back the ivy to the main trunk only.

 

Treesrus - good point on an old tractor, but it would stop you seeing down the 60mph A road as you pulled out of the junction. I am still inclined to think about a sort of curved steel cage section to put in front of the vulnerable area - a bit like a sort of giant version of a street tree protector but it would only need to be about a quarter of the way around the tree.

 

Cheers

 

Alec

 

p.s. Graham - glad to hear the 'treatment' has worked on your Bramley - any chance of an updated photo on its thread?

Edited June 15, 2014 by agg221

[Gary Prentice]

Alec, going back to the liability issue in your original post. If the structure doesn't encroach onto/into the highway I can't see any issue.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

go all european on its arse, lift to highway standard clearence and lime the base to 6ft

[agg221]

go all european on its arse, lift to highway standard clearence and lime the base to 6ft

 

No, if I was going properly European I would have to chop all the branches back viciously to stumps and keep doing it every year to give it that hacked 'pollard' look

 

Alec