Spruce but rot

[Gray git]

A client had this tree fail with quite significant but rot present which extends around 4ft up the trunk, as you can see from the pictures the rear garden is like a forest and I'm concerned that the rest of the trees due to the connection of roots will also be infected as iv see in some forestry stands so increase the likelihood of further failing trees.

Out tree officer who has no arb quals and referred to these Spruce as Christmas trees advised them it'd be fine and it'd be an isolated problem, I beg to differ so would appreciate some others input.

[TIMON]

Hi Mr Git.

Don't have any advice for you but just wanted to express surprise that a tree officer would be expected to fulfil his role without any Arb qualifications.

Timon

[Gray git]

Hi Mr Git.

Don't have any advice for you but just wanted to express surprise that a tree officer would be expected to fulfil his role without any Arb qualifications.

Timon

 

Scary ain't it!

Course's constant battles where we have to justify and provide evidence far more than I do to any other lpa official who can see what's blatantly obvious to anyone with a clue!

[TIMON]

Scary ain't it!

Course's constant battles where we have to justify and provide evidence far more than I do to any other lpa official who can see what's blatantly obvious to anyone with a clue!

 

 

Dealing with planning depts....

A constant source of deep joy....

Not

[Spruce Pirate]

They look like Norway spruce to me, so good news - your TO is right: they are Christmas trees!

 

Being Norway, if there's butt rot in one, I'd suspect butt rot in the others. Fomes? I think the name's been updated, is it now heterobasidium annosum? Someone with more knowledge than me will be along I'm sure.

[wisewood]

How do these people get employed in the first place? Is there really such a shortage of properly qualified individuals?

I'm not qualified to comment on the issue you've raised but as a layman so to speak what about sounding the other trees with a hammer?

Edited January 24, 2016 by wisewood

[Gray git]

Think your correct Spruce pirate. Just looked up the fc research papers on it and it's definitely going to affect the remaining trees either now or in the future by the sounds of it.

Problem with sounding the tree is it won't always cause a hollow as the cellulose is digested but leave a soft spongy centre so without going to expense of ultrasound a core sample would determine the extent particularly on the heavily side weighted trees towards the house.

[treecreeper arb]

is there any evidence of fungi..took a spruce down last week with a few insignificant pholliota squarossa fruiting bodies around it and its interior looked exactly like this..sounding hammer had revealed a slightly different tone to the two closely located trees of the same species ...just speculating,but possible.

[Gray git]

Couldn't see any fruiting bodies but if it's the suggested fugi it's apparently biannual so could be a dormant year?

[Kveldssanger]

And even if it's biannual, it doesn't necessarily have to produce a fruiting body. Conditions internally and externally must be 'right' for sporophore formation.