Soft felling heavy stems with bat potential .

[daltontrees]

Defiantly the kind of thing I'm looking for but the trees we are dealing with are shorter and much heavier timber but great video thankyou

 

That is a big ask to sectionally dismantle and lower wood that size. The ecologist proposal would normally be reserved for trees with 'high' (Natural England) potential even after a full inspection did not confirm bat roosts. Getting pieces off without sawing right through is I expect going to be near impossible. Certainly exceeding the 'impractical' test in the guidance. I think (without having seen the trees, I may be completely wrong) that if the trees aren't too high you might be best to straight fell, with a wide wide sink that won't break off and with crowns intact (to absorb shock). If you leave way too much holding wood so that you need to pull the trees over (with a truck or 1 Tonne winch) this culd be reasonably soft and would give the bats (if they're there at all) a better chance of survival than blocking down or banging sections down onto brash. Fell and leave, come back 2 days later and chop them up. The trees, not the bats!

 

All of the aforegoing is a poor substitute for a crane. Natural England doesn't suggest cranes.

[Peter]

Crane would be the best way, failing that fell onto a brash mat.

 

I would just do whatever the ecologist asks for, it's on them at the end of the day.

[Mark J]

Why not fell at night

 

Ha! Good thinking...

[andrew t]

All sorted now and ecologists were more than pleased with what we did . Feel free to still add any info as things can always be improved . Cheers for all replys some very helpfull ideas

[daltontrees]

All sorted now and ecologists were more than pleased with what we did . Feel free to still add any info as things can always be improved . Cheers for all replys some very helpfull ideas

 

So what did you do...?

[andrew t]

So what did you do...?

 

I made a log pile were the end of the stem would make contact and we also added brush on top to make it softer and higher to limit the force . I did a higher felling cut and removed some of the wood from the middle and then we pulled it over gradually using rope and pulleys . The stem remained off the ground and everyone was happy . Ps no bats were found

[skyhuck]

Why do they not wait until night fall, allow the bats to leave and then block up the entry holes???

[daltontrees]

I made a log pile were the end of the stem would make contact and we also added brush on top to make it softer and higher to limit the force . I did a higher felling cut and removed some of the wood from the middle and then we pulled it over gradually using rope and pulleys . The stem remained off the ground and everyone was happy . Ps no bats were found

 

That sounds ideal, well done! I hope your ability to work around potential bat roosts wins you lots more work.

[arbormonkey]

just out of curiosity if you blocked the entry up at night like skyhuck said. Then you had any combacks were would you stand if someone said theres signs of bats.

[daltontrees]

just out of curiosity if you blocked the entry up at night like skyhuck said. Then you had any combacks were would you stand if someone said theres signs of bats.

 

Since 2007 it is an offence (in Scotland anyway)... to obstruct access to a breeding site or resting place of such an animal, or otherwise to deny the animal use of the breeding site or resting place. There are exceptions under license.