Stagecoach case - scary, tree surgeons be warned?

[daltontrees]

In the case the ivy was only the second barrier to inspection, the first was that the tree was in an overgrown part of the garden and the owner was not expected to battle through brambles and nettles to get to the bottom of the tree.

 

It seems a weak judgement in that respect. A judge could equally have said tha thte landowner knew it had last a stem, that it was next to a railway witht eh potential for multiple deaths and that she should have reacted to heightened risk by at least going to the bottom of the garden.

 

I should explain, I posted originally to alert tree surgeons to the dangers of assumed expertise and duty to warn, but the ivy discussion here relates to the other part of the case, namely whether the owner should have called in an expert becasue she spotted or suspected something wrong with the tree.

[jomoco]

Interesting thread.

 

I attend monthly exotic plant society meetings, held at a hilltop church, that has very old trees. One of which dominated the main entrance area of the main cathedral, a cal pepper or Schinus molle.

 

Had a 4-5 dia base, covered with ivy. The northernmost side of the tree was dying and pretty much defoliated. A closer inspection of northern base revealed a huge fruiting body almost 3 feet long, one contiguous mass of brackets, possibly Ganoderma.

 

I felt duty bound as a practicing arborist and citizen to bring this potentially hazardous situation to the groundskeeper of the church's attention, and did so.

 

Tree was gone at the last meeting.

 

The grim reaper's blade properly sheathed before use again!

 

I did feel a bit guilty bout the ole tree's demise though!

 

Place ain't quite the same without it...

 

Oh well...

 

Jomoco

[daltontrees]

Interesting thread.

 

I attend monthly exotic plant society meetings, held at a hilltop church, that has very old trees. One of which dominated the main entrance area of the main cathedral, a cal pepper or Schinus molle.

 

Had a 4-5 dia base, covered with ivy. The northernmost side of the tree was dying and pretty much defoliated. A closer inspection of northern base revealed a huge fruiting body almost 3 feet long, one contiguous mass of brackets, possibly Ganoderma.

 

I felt duty bound as a practicing arborist and citizen to bring this potentially hazardous situation to the groundskeeper of the church's attention, and did so.

 

Tree was gone at the last meeting.

 

The grim reaper's blade properly sheathed before use again!

 

I did feel a bit guilty bout the ole tree's demise though!

 

Place ain't quite the same without it...

 

Oh well...

 

Jomoco

Hey, you'd feel a lot worse if you didn't report it and it flattened someone.

[10 Bears]

This is an interesting one.

 

Personally, I always take the view that I am the last acting professional on site, so if I notice something out of the ordinary, which I may not have been there to look at in the first place, I will raise it with the client - verbally and backed up in email.

 

Its been useful more than once for covering my back so to speak, and Ive even had extra work off the back of it.